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An aged voice suddenly came from the alley entrance, making Yuto’s eyelid twitch.
“Wait.”
Yuto turned around and saw the Grand Elder.
The old man was here to ruin things again.
Following Minato to the battlefield would make dying heroically so easy.
Why was the old man butting in?
Did he want Yuto to drop dead right in front of him or something?
Minato turned around and bowed respectfully.
“Good day, Grand Elder.”
When he straightened, his eyes were sincere.
“Yuto has a powerful desire to protect the village and his comrades.
Lord Hokage specifically…”
“Outsiders have no place interfering in Uchiha affairs.”
The Grand Elder cut him off coldly, staring at Minato while quickly weighing the situation.
This boy was one of the Third Hokage’s trusted people.
If Yuto followed him, there was no guarantee he would not be pulled toward the Hokage’s faction.
But if the Grand Elder refused too forcefully, it would make the Uchiha look as if they cared nothing for the larger situation.
Thinking that through, the Grand Elder suddenly loosened his grip on his cane.
His tone softened slightly.
“However, if he is going to the battlefield…”
“Then I will personally lead the clan’s elites and depart with Yuto.
That satisfies the Hokage’s request and keeps an inexperienced young man from throwing his life away for nothing.”
Minato froze.
Having the Grand Elder personally join the front would certainly increase their fighting strength, but the Uchiha had never coordinated especially smoothly with the command center.
Then Minato glanced at the expectation in Yuto’s eyes and thought of how the boy had protected his comrade with his life in the valley.
Perhaps this was a chance to ease the relationship between the Uchiha and the village.
“I understand.”
In the end, Minato gave his signature warm smile.
“Then I will leave it to you, Grand Elder.
Five days from now, at dawn, please bring the Uchiha members and rendezvous with my team.”
He winked at Yuto.
“I look forward to fighting beside you.”
After Minato disappeared with the Body Flicker Technique, Yuto’s shoulders immediately slumped, and he howled internally.
It was over.
Now not only would he fail to die, he would be watched by the old man and trained the entire way there.
A flattering smile appeared on Yuto’s face.
He leaned closer to the Grand Elder and said,
“Grand Elder, you…”
“Hm?”
The Grand Elder narrowed his eyes, and his voice rose instantly.
“Yuto, what should you be calling me?”
Yuto thought for a moment and immediately reacted.
He said respectfully,
“Teacher.”
He rubbed his hands together, his tone carrying a trace of pleading.
“Teacher, I trained pretty hard yesterday, right?
Before we head to the front, why don’t you let me rest properly…”
“Nonsense!”
The Grand Elder’s voice shook Yuto’s eardrums.
“Do you think the battlefield is a game?
Those Kumogakure barbarians will not hold back their blades for you.”
Seeing Yuto shrink his neck and fall silent, the Grand Elder’s tone suddenly eased.
“I taught you most of the combat skills you need yesterday.
The rest is something you must understand for yourself.”
He awkwardly turned his back.
“I am not worried about a brat like you.
I simply do not want Tsukimi crying every day.”
Yuto froze.
The old man…
Did he actually see him as a real disciple?
Yuto’s nose suddenly stung.
He thought of his life back in his old world.
Before he had become an orphan, his own grandfather had been just like this.
Harsh with his words, soft with his heart.
The old man was actually pretty good to him.
For a moment, Yuto did not feel like dying quite as much.
“However!”
The Grand Elder suddenly turned around.
“Since you are going to war as a representative of the Uchiha, you must at least kill one hundred enemies.”
“If you are even one short, then after the war ends, I will personally give you another year of special training.”
Yuto screamed internally.
One hundred?
Did the old man think he was Minato Namikaze?
Yuto was only a chunin.
Even with the Sharingan, he was only a little stronger than an ordinary chunin.
Killing one hundred enemies would exhaust him to death before he even got close.
Yuto suddenly wanted to die again.
He really wanted to hurry up and return to his old world.
“I…
I’ll try.”
Yuto agreed with drooping shoulders, already calculating how to get himself killed on the battlefield.
The Grand Elder snorted coldly.
“Do not try.
Do it.”
With that, he turned and left.
The Grand Elder slowly walked along the stone road of the Uchiha compound, his brows unconsciously drawing together.
At the start, he had only wanted to use that boy.
He remembered that he had first approached Yuto simply to pull this hidden hawk from the dove faction closer to his side, adding another piece to the hawks’ board.
But at some point, he had begun genuinely worrying about the brat’s safety.
Was it because Yuto had saved Tsukimi?
The Grand Elder’s steps paused slightly.
Then he gave a cold snort and nodded hard, as if trying to convince himself.
Yes.
He was only repaying a debt.
But when he thought of the way Yuto had fought desperately on the training ground, those stubborn eyes, and the miserable way the boy had climbed back up after being kicked away, a strange feeling stirred in his chest again.
Hmph.
If that boy died on the battlefield, Tsukimi would definitely cry until she looked awful.
He shook his head hard, forcing those unnecessary thoughts away.
On Yuto’s side, he glanced at the sun.
It was already noon.
Standing in front of his house and looking at the empty street, he suddenly felt a little lost.
Training had been suspended, and preparations for the battlefield had not started yet.
For once, he had a rare stretch of free time.
“Since I have nothing to do…”
He scratched his head and muttered to himself.
“I might as well go see those little brats again.”
With that thought, he walked toward the general store in the Uchiha compound.
This time, he planned to buy extra rice, flour, and candy.
After all, once he went to the battlefield, he probably would never return to Konoha.
When he pushed open the door to the general store, the owner greeted him with the same warmth as always.
“Yuto, here to stock up again?”
“Yeah.
More this time.”
Yuto nodded.
His tone sounded light, but there was a trace of loneliness buried beneath it.
The owner noticed something, but he did not ask.
He simply turned, went into the storage room, and pushed out a larger cart filled with food and daily necessities.
“Will this be enough?” the owner asked with a smile.
Yuto looked at the small mountain of supplies, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
“It’ll be enough.
Thanks.”
After paying, he pushed the cart away and thought silently to himself that at least, before he left, he could still bring the children a little warmth.
Yuto walked through Konoha’s streets.
The sunlight was still bright, but for some reason, it carried a faint pressure.
In front of shops that were usually bustling, the owners gathered in twos and threes, speaking in low voices about the news from the border.
Shinobi hurried past with tight brows beneath their forehead protectors.
It was as if invisible smoke from a battlefield had already filled the air.
When he arrived at the orphanage, Nono was crouched in the small vegetable garden.
Her fingers were covered in soil, but she was staring blankly at the sparse seedlings.
Hearing footsteps, she abruptly looked up.
A flash of panic crossed the eyes behind her glasses before she quickly forced out her usual gentle smile.
“Yuto, you’re here…”
Yuto noticed her reaction, and a trace of doubt rose in his heart.
“Big Sis Nono, what’s wrong?
You look like something’s on your mind.”
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