Inside a narrow mountain cave—
Yue used Wood Release to create a pile of firewood, then took out his fire starter and lit a small fire to warm the chilly, drafty cave.
He pulled off his shirt, exposing his upper body, and sprinkled medicinal powder over the wound.
"Hss—"
The sting made Yue suck in a breath.
It hurt like hell.
He grabbed a roll of bandages to wrap himself up.
"I… I can help you bandage it."
Miroku spoke softly—she wanted to help the person who got hurt defending her.
Yue nodded right away.
Letting the goddess personally bandage him?
Totally worth the injury.
Miroku leaned in close, carefully wrapping the bandage around his shoulder.
The two sat very near each other.
Yue could feel her warm breath brushing against him, carrying a faint scent that made his heart flutter.
Time to use the scumbag playbook from his previous life.
A goddess like this—you don't flirt now, you'll be single until the series finale.
"Hey… Miroku, did you know? I'm actually twenty years old."
That was his first move—remove the age gap and make himself a potential match.
As expected, Miroku froze.
Her expression twisted—she clearly wanted to say something but couldn't.
To her, if a twenty-year-old man still had a child's body like this… that meant dwarfism.
A disability.
How could she comment on that? Telling him "it's okay" would basically be rubbing salt in his wound.
So she chose silence—but at the same time, a thought occurred to her:
Wait… he asked if I had a boyfriend earlier… don't tell me… he likes me?
But marrying a "dwarf"…?
That was too much for her mind to process.
Her face flushed red.
If Yue knew what she was imagining, he would cough up blood on the spot.
His body was perfectly healthy!
For his age he was already more developed than most kids!
Yue saw her blush and became convinced she understood his "feelings."
He was secretly delighted and continued his act:
"Two years ago… during the Third Great Ninja War… I was eighteen. I had a normal body back then—tall, handsome, strong."
"In one mission, our squad went to support a recon team. But the recon team had already been wiped out, and the enemy even learned the coordinates of our rendezvous point."
"We were ambushed… surrounded. Over a hundred enemies. My two teammates fought to protect me… and they died."
His face darkened with grief—perfectly.
Internally he apologized to Taila and Deerwood, who were being dragged out of the grave to serve his sob story.
"To avenge them, I lost control… I used our clan's forbidden jutsu. I killed all one hundred of the enemies. But the backlash left me unconscious for a whole year. Yamato carried me away."
"And when I woke up… this body was the price I paid for using that forbidden jutsu."
His expression was full of pain and regret—worthy of an Oscar.
And it hit Miroku hard.
She was stunned speechless.
She had mocked him inwardly before—thinking he was stunted.
Yet he had sacrificed his own body to avenge fallen comrades.
Her face filled with guilt.
She examined Yue again—heroic strength, a noble heart…
Someone who'd gone through hell.
Yue saw her eyes change and knew he had her 70% hooked already.
Time for the heavy artillery.
"There's something else… a secret. A top-level secret of the village. Only a few even know this. But since it concerns me, I have the right to tell you."
"My clan… founded Konoha. But because no one inherited our ancestor's abilities, we hid our lineage so the village could flourish without political burden."
"When I was a child, I discovered that I was the first in generations to inherit our clan's bloodline limit. The village placed enormous hope on me—to restore our clan's glory."
"I've trained my whole life. Nothing but training, eating, and sleeping. Because I know the burden on my shoulders."
"And even now, I haven't fully earned the right to use my clan's name. That's why… I still have no surname."
Yue spoke slowly, face full of pain and inner struggle.
Two goals:
Make her trust him more.
Let her know he has status—he's not some random kid.
Miroku gasped.
"…You're from the Senju clan?"
Yue nodded, laughing inside.
Good—she knew the Senju name.
Even decades later, that reputation was still like thunder.
Bomb after bomb left Miroku overwhelmed.
She was practically breathless.
Yue decided it was time for the finishing blow.
"Sorry for suddenly telling you all this.
But… from the moment I saw you… I couldn't get you out of my mind."
"Your beauty, your gentle heart, your noble aura… I was captivated."
No woman dislikes sincere praise.
"So I have to admit—I liked you from the very first moment. That's why I opened up about everything.
But I'm also insecure… afraid I'm not worthy of you."
His expression was full of vulnerability.
Miroku panicked.
She had never dealt with something like this.
"No! How could you not be worthy?
You're… incredible.
I—I'm the one worried I'm not good enough for you."
Yue cheered inwardly:
This world's girls are too pure—too easy!
"Thank you…" Yue whispered, expression sincere.
Miroku suddenly realized what she had said—and her face turned beet red.
Time for the ace up the sleeve—talent performance.
"Can I… sing a song for you?"
He had a pleasant voice in this life.
If singers existed, he might've debuted.
"…Mm."
Miroku nodded, tiny voice trembling.
Yue began singing:
"You see the butterflies of spring, trembling as they fly…"
"Warm wind and gentle sun leaning across the sky…"
"Yet winter's chill refuses to fade…"
"You see the crescent Yue of midsummer, stealing joy away…"
"Hanging upside-down in the heavens, wearing its quiet smile…"
When he finished, there were tears at the corner of his eyes.
Even he was moved.
Miroku was completely shaken.
The melody, the emotion—she had never experienced anything like this.
Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around Yue, gently holding him.
"...Miroku," Yue whispered softly,
"will you wait for me—wait until this body grows up, until I carry the full glory of the Senju clan—
and then… let me marry you?"
It was like the legendary line:
"My destined one will come riding on a rainbow cloud…"
What girl could resist that?
"…Mm."
Miroku nodded hard, hugging him even tighter.
~------------------------------------
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