Chiya looked at the system mission interface that had suddenly appeared in his mind. The five words, Steal Yūhi Kurenai, seemed to carry a burning heat.
This system always seemed determined to push him down a very questionable path...
He casually raised his head and looked at Kurenai beside him.
The twelve or thirteen year old girl was slightly raising her head.
Her ruby red eyes stared at him without blinking, filled with undisguised admiration and longing, as if he were the light of her entire world.
The young girl's first feelings of love were so pure and passionate that they almost overflowed from her bright eyes.
Their gazes met in midair.
Looking at the girl's cheeks, which instantly turned bright red under his gaze.
They were as red as ripe apples, making her look both lovely and adorable. Chiya could not help but feel a little embarrassed.
Just moments ago, he had been thinking about the system's improper mission, while she was simply looking at him with pure admiration.
He coughed lightly to hide his subtle discomfort. Although Kurenai was certainly charming now, she was still too young.
'Just wait a little longer. Just wait a little longer.'
Thanks to his powerful emotional control, Chiya quickly returned to his usual calm expression.
Continuing the earlier topic about genjutsu, he spoke in a gentle yet unquestionable tone.
"You really do have talent for genjutsu. Your foundation is solid, and your chakra control is exceptionally refined. What you lack is guidance at a higher level, along with a few special techniques."
He paused and looked at Kurenai's eyes, which immediately lit up as though she had just found the most important treasure in the world.
"Are you interested in training under me in the future? I can teach you more advanced genjutsu."
The moment those words were spoken, not only was Kurenai stunned, but even the quietly seated Mikoto raised her delicate eyebrows slightly.
She looked thoughtfully at Chiya before turning to the completely frozen Kurenai.
Train under Chiya nii?
This...
That was practically the same as taking her in as a disciple!
Did Chiya nii intend to accept her as his student?
Kurenai felt as though her mind had been struck by an overwhelming surprise, instantly going completely blank.
She even wondered if her admiration had become so strong that she was hearing things.
The man before her, who had just ended the war single handedly and was worshipped like a god throughout the village, had actually offered to personally guide her training.
The overwhelming happiness crashed over her like a tidal wave, making her body tremble uncontrollably.
She suddenly jumped to her feet, moving so quickly that she knocked over the stool behind her with a loud clang, causing the nearby customers to look over.
But she no longer cared.
She bowed deeply toward Chiya. Her voice trembled from overwhelming excitement and nervousness, yet it was also loud and firm.
"I'd love to! I really would! Thank you so, so much, Lord Chiya! N... No... Teacher! Thank you, Teacher Chiya!"
She raised her head again.
Her face wore the brightest smile imaginable, mixed with overwhelming joy and bashfulness. Her ruby eyes sparkled like stars, and the word "Teacher" came out clearly, carrying excitement that was impossible to describe.
Watching the scene, the strange look in Uchiha Mikoto's eyes grew even stronger.
She gracefully picked up her teacup and took a small sip, her gaze moving between Chiya's seemingly calm face and Kurenai, who looked ready to faint from excitement.
Teacher?
Student?
Mikoto quietly thought to herself.
With Chiya nii's unfathomable strength, it was certainly a good thing that he was willing to guide the younger generation, but...
The way little Kurenai looked at Chiya nii was far more than a student's admiration for her teacher.
It clearly contained the feelings of a young girl in love.
And Chiya nii had suddenly made this suggestion...
Mikoto could not help feeling that this master and disciple relationship was destined to be anything but simple and proper from the very beginning.
Looking at Kurenai.
Mikoto could almost imagine how this little disciple would cling to her teacher in the future.
Sure enough, during the time that followed, Kurenai became completely excited.
Now that their master and disciple relationship had been established, she seemed to throw away much of her earlier restraint.
Although she remained respectful, she asked even more questions, constantly chatting with Chiya.
From hand seals used in genjutsu, to chakra nature transformation, to stories she had heard about Chiya's battles.
It felt as though she had endless questions, and her bright eyes never left Chiya for even a moment.
Chiya showed no impatience.
Most of the time he quietly listened, only giving short and simple answers now and then. Yet each answer left Kurenai deep in thought before inspiring even more questions.
He could tell that this girl genuinely loved genjutsu and possessed outstanding talent. She was someone worth nurturing.
Of course, Chiya would never admit that he was laying the groundwork because of the system's mission to steal her away.
Absolutely not!
As the sun slowly disappeared below the horizon, the lights inside the ramen shop came on, and wave after wave of customers came and went.
Kurenai remained completely immersed in her first conversation with her teacher, completely unaware of how much time had passed.
Then a somewhat serious yet apologetic voice came from the entrance.
"Kurenai!"
Kurenai shivered as though waking from a beautiful dream. Somewhat unwillingly, she turned around and saw her father, Yūhi Shinku, standing at the entrance of the ramen shop.
He had clearly just returned from a mission, and there was still a trace of exhaustion on his face.
"Father..."
Kurenai quickly stood up.
Yūhi Shinku first respectfully bowed to Chiya and Mikoto.
"Lord Chiya. Lady Mikoto. I apologize. My daughter has disturbed the two of you."
His attitude was extremely respectful.
Looking at his daughter, he spoke helplessly.
"It's getting late. Time to go home."
Only then did Kurenai realize that it was already evening.
Her face immediately showed embarrassment and regret as she secretly glanced at Chiya.
"Teacher... I'm sorry. I talked too much and wasted your time."
Chiya smiled faintly and waved his hand.
"It's fine. Let's stop here for today. Go back and think carefully about what we've discussed. We can continue your training another day."
"Yes, Teacher!"
Receiving Chiya's reply, Kurenai immediately became cheerful again. She nodded vigorously before reluctantly following her father away, constantly looking back every few steps.
Watching Kurenai happily leave, Chiya smiled helplessly.
Youth really was wonderful.
She had endless energy and unlimited passion for what she loved. Once she started talking about it, she completely forgot about time.
Turning his head, he noticed Mikoto gently covering her mouth as she let out a graceful little yawn. A trace of exhaustion could not be hidden between her brows.
While he had been away from the village recently.
She had been handling countless matters between the clan and the village, while also worrying about the investigation into Obito's disappearance. She had truly worked hard.
"Tired?"
Chiya's voice became much gentler.
Mikoto lowered her hand and smiled softly.
"I'm alright. I'm just a little worried that Kurenai... seems a bit too enthusiastic."
Her words carried a faint teasing tone and a deeper meaning.
Naturally, Chiya understood what she was implying and laughed.
"She really is a promising student."
He stood up and gently took her cool hand.
"It's getting late. You've been working too hard lately, so go home and get some rest first.
I still have a few things to take care of. I'll be back later."
Mikoto obediently nodded without asking what those matters were.
She trusted and understood Chiya completely.
She simply reminded him gently.
"Don't stay out too late."
After paying the bill, she left the ramen shop and headed home.
After seeing Mikoto off, the warmth on Chiya's face gradually faded, returning to his usual calm expression.
He walked out of the lively Ichiraku Ramen, his figure disappearing into Konoha's increasingly dark night.
He did not return to the Uchiha Clan compound, nor did he head for the Hokage Building.
Instead, he changed direction and walked toward a quieter part of the village.
That was where the Konoha Orphanage was located.
The night was hazy, and the stars were dim.
Chiya moved swiftly through the quiet streets, making his way toward the orphanage.
There were people there whom Chiya cared deeply about.
No matter what kind of relationship it was, it needed to be nurtured.
Only then could it truly last.
Rather than obtaining it, only to cast it aside like something worthless.
The outline of the Konoha Orphanage gradually became clearer beneath the night sky.
━━━━━━━━━━━━
❤️ Enjoying the Story?
⭐ Every 500 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter!
📖 Read 120 chapters ahead on Patreon.
🔗 patreon.com/atomelectron
Thank you for your support!
━━━━━━━━━━━━