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31
"Even Itachi-san's Amaterasu didn't work on you… just what are you?"
As Itachi's long-time partner, Kisame knew better than anyone how terrifying Amaterasu was.
Flames that could burn anything—unyielding until their target was reduced to nothing.
Yet the boy in front of him… shook it off just by taking off a shirt?
"We retreat, Kisame. Their reinforcements are here."
Itachi covered his bleeding eye, and with his still-functioning one, spotted two masked Leaf ninjas racing toward their position at high speed.
They were from the Konoha ANBU.
Finally, a reasonable excuse to withdraw from battle.
But still—*Uchiha Ying*… who exactly was this person?
If everything around him didn't feel so *real*, he might've thought he'd been caught in a genjutsu himself.
Was it really possible… for someone in this world to completely ignore all of his ocular jutsu?
"Retreat? But my Samehada is still—"
Kisame glanced reluctantly at the massive blade slung across Uchiha Ying's back.
That was *his* sword.
"We'll retrieve it later."
Itachi's face was pale, drenched in the cold sweat of overusing his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Tch… got it."
Seeing that Itachi was in no condition to fight, Kisame swallowed his frustration and gave up—for now—on reclaiming Samehada.
The two vanished into the trees in a flash, leaving the ruined street behind.
---
"Why would ANBU be here…?"
Kurenai looked at the retreating figures and then at the two ANBU approaching from the distance, a look of confusion on her face.
"I sent word in advance."
Uchiha Ying replied calmly.
He'd known Itachi wouldn't try to kill Kurenai. So the moment he saw Itachi entering the village, he'd used a carrier pigeon to alert two ANBU—already en route to accompany him on a mission to the Land of Water.
*This is the power of intel.*
And the reason he could go toe-to-toe with Kisame was because he knew *everything* about him.
---
"Where is Uchiha Itachi?!"
Panting, Hayate Gekkō arrived on the scene, blade drawn—but found no sign of Itachi.
Only shattered walls, smoking rubble, and debris told the story of what just happened.
"You're all… unharmed?"
Yugao Uzuki, who had come with Hayate after receiving Ying's message, was relieved to find Kurenai and her team safe and sound.
After all—it was *Uchiha Itachi*. Even if a jōnin like Kurenai was present, she had worried...
But now, seeing everyone intact, she couldn't help but wonder—*how* had they survived?
"We're fine. Thanks to you two, they got scared and ran."
"…It was you who drove them back, wasn't it?"
Kurenai started to speak up for her student—but Ying quickly reached over and gently covered her mouth.
"Uchiha Itachi and his rogue companion ran off as soon as they noticed reinforcements from the Leaf."
Ying was deliberately downplaying his role in the battle.
Though he hadn't revealed any overtly unique ninjutsu, the fight was too eye-catching.
If the village—*especially Danzo*—caught wind of it, peace would no longer be an option.
"But we only held out this long thanks to Sensei."
He shifted all credit onto Kurenai.
"Don't cover your teacher's mouth!"
Kurenai slapped his hand away, but she didn't contradict him either.
"Yes… It was me. I held off Uchiha Itachi."
She still didn't know *why* this brat insisted on hiding his strength—but as his teacher, she would always stand by him.
Especially since he'd risked himself to save her—*even burning his hand*—
---
"As expected of Kurenai-senpai… An elite jōnin of Konoha, able to face even an S-class rogue ninja like Uchiha Itachi."
Hayate spoke in admiration, with no hint of doubt in his voice.
His praise came as naturally as breathing.
"In that case, Kurenai-senpai, please report to the Hokage. Hayate, Ying, and I have other duties."
Since they were all Leaf shinobi, both Yugao and Hayate removed their masks.
"Other duties? Wait—Ying too?"
Kurenai blinked—and just like that, her precious student was already wearing a full ANBU uniform.
"That's right, Sensei. I'm officially part of ANBU now. And I'll be leaving Samehada in your care. Please deliver it to the Hokage for me."
"You little brat… ordering your teacher around now?"
Kurenai hadn't expected him to join ANBU so soon.
But when she thought about it again… with Ying's ability, it was only natural.
"Still—*next time*, you'd better tell your teacher *beforehand*! I was seriously worried!"
Slipping Samehada onto her back, Kurenai warned him with a sharp tone and a double meaning.
She wasn't just talking about joining ANBU.
She was also talking about how he hid his strength.
"…Got it, Sensei. Next time, for sure."
*What an easy teacher to manage.*
Ying had thought he'd have to explain a lot more to convince her, but with one sentence, she understood *everything*.
"But, Sensei—this sword is alive, and it recognizes its master. You should tie it down in case—"
"No need. Your teacher knows sealing techniques."
Kurenai took out a special scroll from her pouch and efficiently sealed Samehada away.
"Wow… Sensei, you even know advanced sealing jutsu?"
Seeing her smug expression, Ying gave her exactly the emotional value she was looking for.
"Hmph!"
Though she scoffed, her heart softened a little.
She didn't think he was mocking her—but she was still *mad* about his secrecy.
Once they returned to the village, she was definitely going to question him thoroughly.
Like—where the hell did he learn *Rasengan*, for instance?
---
"Alright, Hinata, Shino. Let's head back to the village. We shouldn't delay *certain people's* mission."
The crisis had passed.
Kurenai could finally feel the tension draining from her shoulders.
"Yes!"
Shino nodded toward Ying—he understood that Ying didn't want to draw attention.
So he met his gaze and said no more.
"But, Sensei, let's be more careful on the way back?"
"With Hinata's Byakugan, as long as we travel nonstop, we should reach the village without incident."
Kurenai knew the distance wasn't far—and even if Itachi and Kisame returned, they'd be ready.
Ying entrusting her with delivering the sword was probably his way of repairing *her* reputation, and *Team 8's* as well—after the failed mission.
*That little brat… always meddling. And always making his teacher carry stuff!*
"…Mm."
Hinata glanced shyly at Ying in his ANBU gear—then looked down, blushing hard.
She was the only one who'd seen exactly how he dodged Amaterasu.
And even so—she would never tell a soul.
In fact, her mind was now consumed with a different question—
Could the Ying-senpai from he
r "dreams"… really be the same as the one standing before her?
Half denying, half hoping…
That thought spiraled in her heart—back and forth, again and again—until it disappeared, unanswered.
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