“This is my home.”
Sasuke’s home was a typical Japanese-style courtyard, situated in the heart of the Uchiha Clan’s territory.
Sakura sized up the courtyard’s structure with curiosity, feeling a sense of realization.
Although she hadn’t noticed it during their daily interactions, Sasuke’s status in Konoha truly deserved the title of ‘young master.’
After all, he was the youngest son of the leader of the historic and prestigious Uchiha Clan.
His father, Uchiha Fugaku, was not only the clan head but also the captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, Konoha’s official law enforcement agency…
Sasuke was essentially a rich kid who could spot her fifty bucks!
“Sakura, what are you spacing out for? Hurry up and come in.”
Sasuke pushed open the entrance door and gestured for Sakura, who was still lingering in the courtyard, to stop gawking.
The noise the group made at the entrance quickly caught the attention of those inside.
“Sasuke, is that you back?”
A woman’s voice drifted from within the house, and a few seconds later, she followed her voice to the entrance.
The young woman had long black hair and was wearing a kitchen apron; it was clear she had been busy in the kitchen until just now.
Sakura recognized her at first glance: Sasuke’s mother, Uchiha Mikoto.
While Sakura was observing Uchiha Mikoto, Mikoto was also curiously looking at the group accompanying Sasuke.
“This is my mother.”
Sensing his mother’s curiosity, Sasuke took the initiative to introduce everyone: “Mom, these are my classmates.”
Hearing the confirmation from her son, Uchiha Mikoto’s eyes lit up.
She had always been worried that Sasuke, who idolized Itachi, would inherit Itachi’s antisocial and aloof personality.
Now it seemed she had just been overthinking things.
Sakura and Ino politely greeted Uchiha Mikoto and introduced themselves.
Their manners were poised and natural, lacking the typical shyness children often feel toward elders.
For Sakura, this was because her mental age was much older than her physical one.
Ino, also being the daughter of a clan head, had accompanied her father to various formal occasions from a young age.
Visiting a friend’s home, she knew that maintaining basic etiquette while remaining casual would make the interaction more pleasant for everyone.
In contrast, Naruto, who was usually loud and boisterous, stammered for a long time before finally saying his name.
“Uzumaki… My name is Naruto…”
Naruto subconsciously clenched his fists, his nervousness plain to see.
As an orphan, he couldn’t grasp the concept of ‘family,’ yet he constantly yearned to truly experience what it felt like to have one.
Therefore, facing a ‘mother’ like Uchiha Mikoto left Naruto unsure of how to behave.
Sakura didn’t step in to ease Naruto’s awkwardness.
After he introduced himself, she cast a subtle glance at Uchiha Mikoto.
The moment Uchiha Mikoto heard Naruto’s name, a flicker of emotion passed deep in her eyes, as if she had known the name for a long time and remembered it vividly. This story is hosted at novelping(.)com.
But her memory of the name didn’t stem from labels like ‘the culprit of the Nine-Tails Rampage’ or ‘the one who killed the Fourth Hokage’—the malice the people of Konoha projected onto Naruto.
Instead, it was a purer emotion, like seeing the child of a long-lost dear friend.
As expected…
Konoha’s Ninja clans and high-ranking officials actually knew Naruto’s identity perfectly well.
Only the common people had their information restricted, and after years of rumors, they had collectively turned their malice toward him.
And among all the clans in Konoha, the one with the deepest connection to Naruto wasn’t any other, but the Uchiha—the very clan the Konoha higher-ups feared.
Unlike the old Ino–Shika–Chō trio who served as subordinates during the Fourth Hokage’s reign and swore loyalty to Konoha and the Hokage—naturally shifting their allegiance back to the Third Hokage after the Fourth’s death—the connection here was different.
Uchiha Mikoto, the wife of the Uchiha Clan head, shared a special sisterly bond with Kushina Uzumaki, the wife of the Fourth Hokage.
This friendship wouldn’t change easily just because the Fourth Hokage and his wife had passed away.
“Naruto, has Sasuke been getting along well with you at school?”
Back when Kushina Uzumaki was pregnant, she had told Uchiha Mikoto of her hope that their children would get along well in the future.
Had that wish come true?
Sasuke and Naruto hadn’t expected Uchiha Mikoto to ask about their daily interactions.
They looked at each other, tacitly staying silent and waiting for the other to speak first.
After all, they had just had another argument today; ‘getting along well’ was hardly an accurate description.
“Auntie Mikoto, Naruto and Sasuke are rivals who compete and grow together at school!”
Sakura, who had been observing, intervened.
She glanced at Sasuke and Naruto, then asked with a smile, “Am I right?”
Relieved by Sakura’s intervention, Sasuke and Naruto readily accepted it and nodded in unison.
The term ‘rival’ implied that their relationship wasn’t exactly friendly, but it certainly wasn’t hostile either.
The way boys interact is different from girls; it often involves the smell of gunpowder and various conflicts that are forgotten as soon as they’re over.
As an elder, Uchiha Mikoto clearly understood the bonds between boys.
She smiled gently and turned her attention to Sakura.
“So you’re Sakura. My Sasuke has mentioned you before. I was quite curious about you then, since Sasuke isn’t the type to talk much about others.”
Surprised by Mikoto’s words, Sakura froze for a moment before staring wide-eyed at her.
She was intensely curious about how Sasuke spoke of her at home.
Ino and Naruto also widened their eyes, equally excited and waiting eagerly for Uchiha Mikoto’s detailed answer.
However, Uchiha Mikoto simply shook her head and moved past the topic.
When Sasuke had talked about Sakura, it was shortly after they started school.
He couldn’t handle Sakura’s persistence, and his mentions of her were just casual answers when his mother asked.
They were mostly complaints, as Sakura’s personality was quite difficult for Sasuke to deal with. Read this novel at novelping.com for the best experience.
But seeing them now, they had eventually become friends who could coexist peacefully—a happy ending indeed.
“Sakura, as Sasuke’s friend, please continue to help and be patient with him in the future.”
This was a mother’s most sincere request.
Sakura replied with equal gravity: “I will!”
After all, Sasuke was a key factor in her slacker plan.
After thanking Sakura for her promise, Uchiha Mikoto didn’t neglect Ino.
She asked, “And Ino, you’re Mr. Inoichi’s daughter, right?”
“Yes, Auntie Mikoto, you know my father?”
Ino asked in surprise.
“I’m not very close with Mr. Inoichi personally, but my husband and he work closely on official business.”
One was the head of Konoha’s Intelligence Division, and the other was the head of the Konoha Military Police Force.
Since their departments’ functions overlapped, frequent communication on official matters was nothing to be surprised about.
Furthermore, the Yamanaka Clan’s secret techniques could, to some extent, counter the Sharingan’s genjutsu.
They might even have the chance to use those techniques to gather intelligence from the Uchiha Clan in reverse.
Given the backdrop of the Konoha higher-ups’ long-standing wariness of the Uchiha Clan, no one was better suited for daily communication between Konoha and the Uchiha than Yamanaka Inoichi—not even Nara Shikaku, who was even smarter than him.
Sakura quickly sorted out the implications in her mind.
She then heard Uchiha Mikoto continue: “My husband received some help from Mr. Inoichi at work a while ago. He intended to visit and pay his respects, but he’s been tied down with business lately… so he hasn’t been able to go. Ino, I hope you can convey our gratitude to your father. We will offer a formal thanks once he has more time.”
“I’ll tell my father.”
This was Ino’s responsibility as a daughter; she would properly convey this gratitude to her father.
“Mom, you’ve been talking for too long. Is everything okay in the kitchen?”
Seeing that his mother had greeted everyone, Sasuke finally spoke up to remind her.
Before Uchiha Mikoto could respond, the entrance door that Sakura had closed was suddenly pulled open.
Everyone’s attention was drawn to it.
A black-haired man wearing a dark green flak jacket appeared before them.
He had a stern face, and his expressionless countenance carried an air of natural authority.
On the shoulder patch of his black long-sleeved undershirt, the symbol wasn’t the Uzumaki spiral representing Konoha, but the emblem of the Konoha Military Police Force—the Uchiha Clan crest set within a four-pointed shuriken.
The man was Uchiha Fugaku, the current head of the Uchiha Clan and leader of the Konoha Military Police Force.
He was the father of Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke.
“Father…”
Sasuke called out softly.
Facing his father, his usual pride was instantly shattered, replaced by an uncharacteristic lack of confidence.