"Fugaku… what do you think of Evan?"
Mikoto bit her lip as she asked, voice tentative.
Her heart was twisted in knots.
Should she tell her husband everything?
Especially about Itachi's "future."
About the annihilation of their clan.
Could that really be true?
"You're worried about asking Evan-kun to teach Itachi, aren't you?"
Fugaku completely misunderstood.
He smiled faintly.
"Don't worry. Evan-kun is a truly good man."
A good man?
っ?Д?)っ
Mikoto's eyes trembled.
If only you knew what your 'good man' did to your wife…
Fugaku continued, unaware of what was on her mind.
"Evan's combat strength is overwhelming—" he said.
"He's the only one in Konoha who can match the Fourth."
"And since the Third Hokage doesn't like him, he's practically a natural ally of the Uchiha."
"Of course, I have my own reasons too."
"I've seen Evan-kun's swordsmanship. It's truly rare in this world. I never imagined someone could reach that level using only a sword…"
"Any ninjutsu looks full of openings in front of that blade. It's a sword that can cut through flames."
"If Itachi can learn even a fraction of that, I'll be satisfied."
Mikoto stared blankly.
He's… really that strong?
"Then how come I never hear anything about him in the village?" she asked.
Fugaku shook his head with a bitter smile.
"One reason is that the Third and Danzō deliberately smear and bury his record."
"And there's another: they say one of his comrades died to save him on the battlefield. It broke him. That's why he shut himself away in the prison, ignoring the world."
"When you think about it like that, Evan-kun is a deeply loyal, emotional man. A true good person."
There was one thought Fugaku did not say out loud:
A man like that is also very easy to use.
Mikoto's lips parted slightly in shock.
Listening to Fugaku, it almost sounded like she was the one in the wrong.
She clenched her teeth and finally asked the one question that mattered most.
"Then… does he really have that power to… see the future?"
"Hm?"
Fugaku's gaze sharpened.
He fixed his eyes on her.
"How do you know about that?"
Evan's foresight ability was one of Konoha's deepest secrets.
He had never told his wife.
He himself only knew because he had personally experienced it.
Mikoto wasn't stupid.
Her husband's reaction told her everything.
Her lips trembled.
"So… it's true?"
His stare was too sharp.
She bit down, and chose to lie.
"He… he told me," she said quietly. "He said he saw Itachi's future. That Itachi would become… a powerful shinobi."
Fugaku's expression lit up with joy.
"Truly?"
"Hahaha! Our Uchiha clan will rise again through our son!"
He actually stood and gestured excitedly, completely overjoyed.
Mikoto watched him, her expression growing complicated.
Her heart sank completely.
If her husband trusted Evan this much…
Could she really tell him any of it?
And if everything Evan showed her was true—
Then Itachi would one day murder his parents.
And personally destroy the Uchiha.
Why?
Why would Itachi do that?
There was only one answer that made sense.
The villagers.
The village.
The things Fugaku spoke of day after day—the widening rift between Uchiha and Konoha—
It all connected in Mikoto's mind.
If "annihilation" was coming, it had to be tied to Konoha itself.
What should I do?
Her mind spun.
Ask him for help?
The man who laid hands on her, threatened her sons?
Am I really supposed to give in to him?
No.
Impossible.
Has he lost his mind? To set his sights on a woman who's already had two children?
Then she remembered something.
Fugaku had said he wanted to introduce him to some girls.
Evan said he liked older women…
Because he lacked a mother's love growing up.
Maybe… if I find someone close to my age…
Maybe then he'll leave me alone…
…
At the same time—
Evan remembered his promise to Anko.
Tonight, he'd be "training" a big snake.
So he decided not to go to Konoha Prison to check on Pakura for now.
Instead, he returned straight home.
The small courtyard had been left to him by his parents before they died on the battlefield.
He hadn't lived there in a long time.
He cleaned out one of the rooms, then sat in the little pavilion in the yard, waiting for his junior, Mitarashi Anko, to arrive.
In just half a day, he'd farmed over a hundred thousand Hatred Points from Mikoto alone.
A fruitful outing.
After a brief thought, he decided it was time to upgrade a long-stagnant technique.
[Ding! 100,000 Hatred Points consumed.
Upgrading Soul Nurturing Art (Level 5).]
[Soul Nurturing Art (Lv.5): Next upgrade requires 1,000,000 Hatred Points.]
He still had about seven hundred thousand left.
Save up a bit more—
Then he could roll for something big again.
As the Soul Nurturing Art leveled, Evan felt a strange sense of elevation.
Like something poured directly into his mind.
In an instant, he understood much more about soul cultivation.
A true "enlightenment" feeling.
His entire body felt refreshed.
Something about him had changed.
He reached into his clothes—
And drew out a simple jade pendant.
Square, plain in design, with a single character carved in the middle:
"Rin."
This was the Soul Jade he'd made according to the Soul Nurturing Art.
Its purpose was to mend and nourish a soul.
Once the soul was nurtured to a certain level, and if the body remained intact—
It could be used to bring someone back to life.
Following the upgraded technique, Evan started nourishing the jade again.
So that the soul slumbering inside could grow stronger and more resilient—
So that it could return to its body sooner.
"Sigh. What are you doing here?"
The setting sun painted the courtyard gold when Anko finally appeared.
Evan came back to himself and turned.
"What took you so long? You're late," he complained, not bothering to hide it.
"Sorry, sorry! Kushina-senpai kept talking to me forever," Anko stuck out her tongue playfully.
She plopped down beside him without ceremony and gave him a little shove.
"Alright, where's this giant snake you mentioned?"
She remembered clearly—
He'd said he had a big python at home. That's why she'd come.
Definitely not for any other reason.
She was even more curious about why this guy, who had always shown zero interest in snake techniques—
Suddenly wanted to "play with snakes."
"What's the rush?" Evan smiled.
"Go cook first. I'm hungry."
"You… didn't trick me into coming here just to cook for you, did you?" Anko eyed him suspiciously.
"Quit talking and go."
"…Fine."
She muttered but obeyed, heading into the kitchen.
She was used to it anyway.
Back when they followed Orochimaru, this was just how things were between them—
One liked to boss around, the other willingly put up with it.
Anko didn't really mind.
In the kitchen, she easily found all the utensils—
As if she'd done it a hundred times before.
Then she saw the ingredients already laid out.
All of them were things she liked to eat.
Her heart warmed a little.
"In that case, I'll show you what I've got!"
Mitarashi Anko rolled up her sleeves and started to cook with enthusiasm…
Half an hour later.
"Well?"
Night had already fallen.
Under the warm, yellow light of the bulb, Anko's apricot eyes blinked expectantly at Evan.
She waited for his verdict.
Evan chewed with some difficulty.
"…Not bad."
To avoid crushing her mood, he lied without blinking.
Truthfully, her cooking was incredibly average.
Just barely edible.
"Really? Let me taste it."
"Wait—"
He tried to stop her, but it was too late.
Watching her rush to the bathroom with her hand over her mouth, Evan sighed.
"Why put yourself through this…"
By the time they both finished struggling their way through enough food to be "full,"
Anko's face was a picture of despair.
"I'm never cooking again," she groaned.
ε(┬┬﹏┬┬)3
"If you don't cook, does that mean I have to?" Evan rolled his eyes.
"…You have a point."
She pouted.
This guy never cooked.
Back on the battlefield, she'd always been the one preparing their meals.
Evan turned his head and looked at her.
Her fair face, her lively apricot eyes—
Under the soft light, there was a dreamy quality to her features.
He suddenly snickered.
Then scooted closer.
"Heh… Anko," he said, grinning,
"stay here tonight."
…
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
patreon.com/GojoSatoru7