Year 46 of Konoha.
On the eve of the Third Shinobi World War, the atmosphere in the Village grew increasingly tense.
Some experienced elders had already foreseen the coming war—another battle over the distribution of resources!
Meanwhile, Chiba, who knew the future, felt an ever-growing sense of urgency.
The Third Shinobi World War seemed to begin in Year 47, triggered by the disappearance of Sunagakure’s Third Kazekage.
Sunagakure probably didn’t expect that just as they were preparing to start a war, their own boss went missing—it was truly both laughable and tragic.
Chiba was now 10 years old.
Though his days were much fuller, his strength was still a step shy of Jonin level.
There was nothing he could do about it; his body hadn’t fully developed yet, so his Sage Body couldn’t exert its full potential.
Seeing war looming while he didn’t even have Jonin-level strength made Chiba increasingly anxious—after all, if you die, everything is gone.
“My Sealing Jutsu is getting better and better.
If I join the Sealing Squad, could I dodge this war?”
Chiba had entertained this thought more than once, but considering that even ungraduated kids like them would be sent to the battlefield in the future, the hope felt slim.
Perhaps using his political capital as a Senju descendant as leverage might allow him to avoid the war, but that price was too steep.
He couldn’t afford to bear the scapegoat reputation of evading war and failing to protect Konoha.
If he carried such a heavy black mark, forget about becoming Hokage—he wouldn’t even be able to reach the high ranks.
War was a high-risk, high-reward game; earning the title of a hero could yield immense benefits.
Lacking the strength to guarantee survival in war, yet forced to take a trip to the battlefield—Chiba was truly anxious.
Having no choice, the only way to relieve his anxiety was to go out and hang around.
“Kiyone, can I join the Military Police Force after I graduate?”
The Uchiha Clan had its own promotion pathway.
After graduating from the Ninja Academy, they usually didn’t need to form a squad to complete missions; instead, they directly joined their family business, the Konoha Military Police Force.
Working in the Military Police Force was great: daily duties were just patrolling Konoha and wielding the power to suppress unruly citizens.
It was truly Chiba’s dream workplace.
Uchiha Kiyone played with the fine hair on her shoulder and glanced sideways at Chiba.
“Is this a new way of confessing your love?
Please allow me to reject you.”
As everyone knew, the Military Police Force only consisted of Uchihas.
If Chiba wanted to join, marrying in as a son-in-law and taking the Uchiha surname was a good option.
Chiba was speechless.
Where was the trust between human beings?
He really wanted to join the Military Police Force; whether he became an ordinary Ninja after graduation or went to other departments, he’d have to work hard.
How easy was the Military Police Force!
Wasn’t the reason he kept attending school just to enjoy his leisure?
Doing missions and the like was boring to death, wasting his cultivation time.
Uchiha Kiyone was also 12 years old.
She had graduated a few days ago and officially became a member of the Military Police Force.
As time passed and her body grew, she grew more and more beautiful.
Chiba felt proud of his taste—she really was gorgeous!
“Kiyone, it’s work hours for the Military Police Force right now, isn’t it?
If I come hang out with you, doesn’t that mean you’re abusing your power for personal gain?”
Chiba suddenly thought of this question, making him want to work at the Military Police Force even more.
Kiyone asked back,
“Isn’t it class time right now?
As a student wandering outside, shouldn’t I, as a member of the Military Police Force, arrest you?”
“Sister, my dear sister, don’t mess around!”
Chiba hurriedly begged for mercy.
If he and his Shadow Clone swapped roles, he would really be doomed.
Kiyone gave a soft hum, a trace of amusement flashing in her eyes.
The Uchiha Clan didn’t bother trying to stop Chiba and Kiyone from spending time together anymore.
Chiba was so thick-skinned that no amount of prevention worked, and they didn’t dare lightly use force against a descendant of the Senju Clan.
Besides, they firmly believed that the proud daughter of their Uchiha Clan couldn’t possibly fall for a perverted little thief like Chiba.
Even Mikoto had said she had been hit on by him.
For a shameless kid like him—when the Uchiha had love buried deep in their bones—how could she possibly fall in love with him?
Calling it hanging out was actually just chatting; as they chatted, they would start sparring, and when they got tired of fighting, they’d go back to chatting.
Chiba still couldn’t beat Kiyone right now.
Strangely enough, whenever Chiba was about to win, Kiyone would instantly reveal a bit more of her strength.
The first time he was about to win, Kiyone resorted to Genjutsu without warning, which was understandable.
The second time he was about to win, Kiyone relied on her vast Chakra capacity and highly proficient Grand Fireball Technique to blast away all of Chiba’s moves!
Possessing such moves, she was definitely holding back before, wasn’t she?
A couple of days ago, when he saw hope again, Kiyone’s Sharingan directly unlocked two tomoe.
Chiba was seriously starting to suspect that Kiyone was just playing with him.
With the buff of two tomoe, Kiyone probably had the strength of a Special Jonin by now.
“I lost.
I’ll treat you to dinner.”
Chiba lay on the ground covered in injuries.
Facing Kiyone with two tomoe, he no longer held an advantage even in taijutsu.
Kiyone stood to the side, dripping with sweat.
Hearing this, she couldn’t help but hesitate—wasn’t this a reward for Chiba instead?
“Fine, wait a moment.”
Thinking about it, she didn’t have much to do in the Military Police Force anyway, so hanging out with a friend she had sparred with for years was no big deal.
Splash, splash, splash.
Chiba had sharp ears and eyes.
Seeing Kiyone walk into the bathroom carrying clothes, he knew what she was doing.
“Girls are so troublesome.”
He smelled himself; he didn’t seem to have sweated much.
But since the girl was washing up, it seemed bad to drag her out to play without washing up himself.
“Old man, got any spare clothes?
Mind if I borrow your bathroom?”
Chiba had been to Kiyone’s home countless times and never treated himself as an outsider, so he found Uchiha Shali and asked.
Uchiha Shali glared at him fiercely.
Did he really think he was a live-in son-in-law?
“No.
Get lost.”
“Forget it then.
I’ll just borrow the bathroom.”
Chiba didn’t mind—just not changing clothes, that was all.
“What an unhygienic brat.
Wait here!”
Uchiha Shali whacked Chiba hard on the head and turned to leave.
His feelings toward Chiba were currently very complex, because a while back, Kiyone unlocked her two-tomoe Sharingan because of Chiba!
Driven by Chiba’s growing strength, emotions like fear, jealousy, and unwillingness filled Kiyone, leading her to unlock the two-tomoe Sharingan!
Just from these emotions, Kiyone unlocked her eyes, proving her high aptitude for awakening them, but it also showed that this kid held some place in her heart.
Uchiha Shali was so pissed!
Running over to get beaten up by his Kiyone for four years?
Is this guy even human?
He had indeed guarded against Kiyone developing romantic feelings for Chiba, but after four years of beatings, the bond between rivals and friends had taken deep root in her heart.
Blame it on the fact that this kid’s image as a perverted brat was too deeply ingrained—he was careless and didn’t notice!
This was problematic.
With this kind of feeling between a boy and a girl, if things went wrong, this kid might actually end up as his grandson-in-law.
But having reached this point, he didn’t want to sever their connection anymore, because Kiyone’s Three-Tomoe Sharingan would probably still depend on this kid.
Kiyone’s personality inherited the Uchiha’s innate cold aloofness: “If you can’t defeat me, you’re not worthy of talking to me.” Thus, her only friend of the same age was really just this brat Chiba.
Whether something happens to this brat Chiba in the future or his strength grows too powerful and stimulates Kiyone, as long as it allows his precious granddaughter to keep awakening her eyes, that’s fine.
It couldn’t be that an accident happens to an old man like me just to awaken Kiyone’s eyes, right?!