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Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Mei Terumi

"No problem. I've placed a lot of spy ninjas in the Land of Grass. If you need to find someone, I can help."

Orochimaru's face showed delight.

He was eager to keep Uchiha Yu around—because he wanted to unearth the secrets hidden within this man.

In Orochimaru's eyes…

Uchiha Yu was like an ancient tome that had been gathering dust for years. Now, as the cover cleared and the wind flipped through the pages, each line was more intriguing than the last.

Yu nodded, giving Orochimaru this opportunity to be of use, and said, "I'm looking for a single mother and daughter. The daughter's name is Karin, around seven or eight years old. The mother… both of them are war refugees from the Uzumaki Clan."

"Got it!" Orochimaru readily agreed.

"If you find them, I'll owe you a favor. Once you've accumulated enough favors with me, I'll trade you something equivalent… like a Sharingan."

Yu looked off into the distance as he spoke.

A hint of guilt crossed his heart.

In the future, Karin would become Orochimaru's subordinate. And now, right in front of her future boss, he was trying to poach her.

Wasn't this a little…

Although Yu already possessed divine-grade healing pills like Green Elixir, he didn't mind having a few extra backup options when it came to healing.

The other Uchiha, upon hearing their captain was looking for a mother and daughter, suddenly stiffened, their eyes wide with shock. In unison, they turned toward Mikoto, asleep in Nono's arms.

Countless thoughts raced through the Uchiha's minds:

"It seems Captain really has a thing for… married women, especially widows with children."

"That single mother… could she be the captain's lover in another village? An Uzumaki would barely meet his standards. As for that daughter named Karin…"

"Don't tell me… Karin is Captain Yu's daughter?!"

One Uchiha's expression shifted dramatically. He felt like he had uncovered a terrifying secret.

He turned to look at his comrades—only to find the same shocked and horrified expressions on all their faces.

"?"

Nono adjusted her round glasses and frowned slightly. She glanced at the dazed Izumi beside her, then pulled aside an Uchiha she had treated before. She quietly asked,

"What's going on? Is there something strange about the mother and daughter Captain Yu is looking for?"

The Uchiha replied in a whisper:

"Looking for Uzumaki isn't the issue. The problem… is that they're a mother and daughter pair. Since you treated me, I'll tell you a secret—but you can't tell anyone…"

"Okay! I'm great at keeping secrets!"

Nonoyu nodded earnestly. Beneath her calm and elegant exterior was a heart burning with gossip.

Still, she found the Uchiha's behavior a little tsundere. If you're going to spill a secret, just do it—no need for all the justification.

Despite that, she leaned in and listened.

The more she heard, the more bizarre her expression became. By the end, she was completely petrified in place.

"Captain Yu likes… that kind of woman? That can't be right!"

Nonoyu looked down at Mikoto in her arms, surprised. She did think Mikoto was elegant, quiet, and traditionally beautiful with her long black hair.

But could someone really be into married women? Widows with children?

Nonoyu didn't understand.

But she was definitely shocked.

She thought hard—and realized she didn't match Captain Yu's type at all. Her feelings became very complicated.

"Yu…"

Shizune furrowed her brows tightly, hugging the little pig Ton-ton. She could hear the surrounding Uchiha whispering and gossiping, and her expression became very strange.

In her memory, Yu wasn't that kind of person. Something must be off. If possible, she wanted to talk to Yu privately about this.

Farther up, at the head of the giant snake—

Tsunade's exceptional hearing had caught wind of the Uchiha's murmurs. In her mind, she now stamped Yu with the label: pervert.

Even widows with children? Really?

No matter how powerful a man like that was—what future could someone like him have in the ninja world?

"Hmph!"

Tsunade scoffed in disdain. For the first time, she felt a little relieved for Konoha—for not having to deal with an enemy with such an obvious weakness.

At the head of the giant serpent, the atmosphere grew increasingly awkward. People started to notice that they were finally nearing the edge of the forest. The tremors of the earth lessened, and suddenly, the summoned serpent came to a halt.

Up ahead, two figures appeared—a man and a woman, dressed in the style of Kirigakure (the Village Hidden in the Mist), wearing Mist shinobi forehead protectors.

BOOM—

Dust billowed beneath the snake. Orochimaru narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning the two people blocking their path.

He was surprised by what he saw.

The woman with long reddish-brown hair, a curvaceous figure, and striking looks held a long-haired head in her left hand and a bloodstained scroll in her right.

Uchiha Yu glanced at the two Mist ninja, and his eyes lit up slightly—he immediately recognized the composed and mature Ao, as well as the youthful and beautiful Terumi Mei.

"I don't know them. They're probably here for you, Yu-kun."

Orochimaru looked at Yu's profile with interest, speaking in a soft, slow tone.

Yu didn't respond. His gaze landed on Terumi Mei, who wore the armor of the Hidden Mist's Anbu.

He gently pressed his right foot onto the smooth surface of the giant snake's head, quietly channeling Earth and Water chakra.

That chakra fused within the serpent's body and then flowed into the ground, subtly manipulating the grass near Terumi Mei and Ao's feet to brush against them—silently marking them both with the Yasakani.

The other Uchiha, along with Tsunade and the rest, turned their eyes to the two figures standing below the massive snake—clearly outnumbered and at a disadvantage.

"We mean no harm!"

Terumi Mei raised the severed head in her right hand high and spoke loudly. Her voice was soft and tender, like a spring breeze brushing across the face—completely without any forcefulness. It felt like an older sister whispering beside one's ear.

A moment later, with Ao accompanying her, Terumi Mei leapt up to the top of the serpent, approaching the group.

"..."

She carefully examined Yu, her eyes shimmering as they locked onto his sculpted, flawless face.

His deep, jet-black eyes sparkled like stars—captivating in her view.

She hesitated briefly, then threw the head she held to the ground before Yu.

Plop—

Everyone looked down with furrowed brows. The forehead of the severed head bore the distinctive X-shaped Caged Bird Seal of the Hyuga clan. The blank, lifeless white eyes were strikingly obvious.

It was the head of a Hyuga clan shinobi.

Terumi Mei stepped forward and respectfully offered the scroll with both hands.

"This intelligence scroll was found on that Hyuga ninja. I haven't opened it."

Yu's expression remained calm. He glanced at the bloodstained scroll, reached out to take it, and handed it to Uchiha Minami, who stood beside him.

Tamao came over curiously.

Minami opened the scroll and studied it carefully. His expression changed instantly. He quickly rolled it up and whispered to Yu:

"It's one of the intel scrolls we couldn't locate."

Yu nodded and gave Nanfu a hand gesture to handle it himself.

Minami stepped away from the group and moved to the edge of the snake's body. He tossed the scroll into the air, quickly formed hand seals, and unleashed a Fireball Jutsu, burning the scroll mid-air.

Tamao muttered with realization, "No wonder we couldn't find it—one of them slipped away."

The other Uchiha, along with Orochimaru and Tsunade, all turned their attention to Terumi Mei. Her expression remained calm, showing a maturity beyond her years.

"Speak. What do you want?" Yu asked evenly.

"Kirigakure has been isolated for a long time. The Village Hidden in the Bloody Mist is infamous for its brutality. I suspect the Fourth Mizukage has been mentally manipulated. His actions until now have been full of cruelty and tyranny.

The citizens of the Land of Water and Kirigakure are suffering immensely.

You have expertise and knowledge in this area, so… I sincerely ask you to come with me to Kirigakure and help confirm whether my suspicions are true."

Terumi Mei's tone was respectful and earnest. As she spoke, she gracefully knelt down in a formal seiza posture—her elegant, curved figure sitting back on her ankles, upper body bowing forward slightly, both hands placed on the serpent's scales, fingers together in a traditional kneeling gesture.

Before Yu could answer, a task notification suddenly flashed in his mind:

> [Main Quest]: Allies

[Options]:

1. Help Kirigakure restore order.

[Reward]: The Perfect Jinchuriki Body.

Note: No sealing techniques required. The body can perfectly contain tailed beasts—with no limit on the number.

"Dual main quests?"

Yu fell into thought.

°°°

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