"Aoba, I heard from my dad that the Uchiha clan's red eyes are really powerful," Ino walked over holding a kite, her face filled with worry.
Her father, Yamanaka Inoichi, had told her about the different clans in the village before, especially emphasizing the power of the Sharingan and the Byakugan.
"I also heard from customers at the shop that an Uchiha with an activated Sharingan can fight three Jonin at once."
"Mm-hmm, my father says the same thing. Sharingan is very strong."
Tenten and Hinata also walked over, both looking concerned.
"Don't worry, I recently learned a really powerful move. Sasuke won't be able to beat me."
"By the way, have you finished making your kites?", To avoid further worrying the three girls, Aoba shifted his gaze to the kites in their hands.
Hearing this, the three girls immediately perked up.
Even Hinata, who was usually shy, couldn't wait to hand over her exquisitely made kite to Aoba, "Aoba-kun, what do you think of my kite?"
Aoba's eyes lit up. Hinata's kite, just like her personality, had a simple and clear design but was crafted with exceptional precision and detail. The whole thing looked very neat, exuding a refined and reserved elegance.
Like an expert, Aoba babbled on about various details, but in the end, the most useful comment was just three words, "Very well done!"
Hinata beamed with joy, while Tenten and Ino, unwilling to be left out, eagerly prepared to show theirs.
"Aoba! Aoba! Look at mine! Look at mine!"
As soon as Aoba put down Hinata's kite, Ino immediately shoved hers in front of his face.
This made Tenten, who was a step slower, feel displeased. She could only secretly poke Ino's lower back with her finger.
"Ah!", Ino, suddenly attacked at her weak spot, jumped on the spot.
"What's wrong?", Aoba and Hinata both looked confused.
"N-nothing."
"Aoba, quickly look at my kite!", Although Ino said it was nothing, she still exchanged a glance with Tenten, as if sparks were flying in the air.
Seeing their interaction, Aoba immediately understood, it was probably Tenten's sneak attack.
But for now, he had to take things one at a time.
Ino's kite was quite different from Hinata's minimalist style. It was adorned with many beautiful patterns, and she had even decorated the edges with flowers she picked along the roadside.
At a glance, Aoba could tell this kite probably wouldn't fly very high, but he still gave a reasonable compliment, "It's very pretty!"
Finally, there was Tenten's kite. Hers wasn't as visually appealing or exquisitely detailed, but it was extremely well-crafted, and the materials were of high quality. Among the three, hers was the most practical.
However, Tenten's slightly downcast and dissatisfied expression showed that she felt her kite wasn't as pretty as Ino and Hinata's, which made her a little unhappy.
Of course, Aoba had to maximize the emotional value.
"I think Tenten's kite will definitely fly the highest!"
"Really?", The sadness in Tenten's eyes disappeared, replaced by excitement.
"Definitely!"
Tenten blinked happily and then asked with a playful smile,
"Then, Aoba, which one do you like the most?"
CLICK!
That question was like flipping a switch, instantly turning the scene into another kind of hell.
Ino and Hinata both turned their eyes to Aoba. Even Naruto was looking at him.
"Naruto, you—"
"Aoba, I need to go ask Uncle Guy about my training schedule, so I'll be leaving first," Naruto bolted away. Although he usually acted clueless, he was actually quite sharp.
From his accumulated experience over the past few months, he knew that the best course of action right now was to escape.
Otherwise, Tenten and the others would glare him to death.
Besides, he needed to ask Uncle Guy about any battle experience against the Sharingan.
If Sasuke had such a powerful ability now, it would be even harder to defeat him in the future.
Watching Naruto disappear into the distance, Aoba's mouth twitched.
Then, he looked at the three girls, all staring at him expectantly. He thought for a moment seriously, then put on a troubled expression.
"I like all of them. What should I do?"
"No way, you have to choose one!", Tenten pouted, refusing to let it slide.
"Why? Only adults make choices. I want them all," Aoba had an innocent look on his face.
"A-all of them?", The three girls widened their eyes in disbelief.
"Yeah! You're all so cute, and I like all the kites, so I want them all. Is there a problem?", Aoba said matter-of-factly.
BOOM!
'T-three at once…'
Tenten, Ino, and Hinata exchanged glances as if they had imagined something indescribable. Their faces turned red, and steam practically rose from their heads.
"A-Aoba, t-this… in Konoha… it's not allowed… all together… that's… too…", It was unclear what strange thoughts Ino was having, but she stammered, unable to finish her sentence.
Aoba pretended to be confused, "I'm talking about the kites. What are you all thinking about?"
"What?"
The three girls froze for a second before all their shyness turned into embarrassment and frustration.
Now, their gazes toward Aoba carried a hint of menace.
"Aoba!", Tenten was the first to raise her small fists and charge at him.
Ino, equally embarrassed and annoyed, pounced right after her.
Even Hinata, with a flushed face, sneakily launched an occasional attack on him.
"Haha," While fending off their attacks, Aoba laughed and said confidently, "Don't worry, nothing's impossible. Once I become the head of Konoha, who will dare oppose me?"
"Let's go fly the kites!"
Aoba took off running, while Tenten, Ino, and Hinata chased after him.
———
Meanwhile, a few Anbu members who hadn't managed to follow Naruto yet…
"Captain, I really want to punch that kid…"
"Inuzuka, that's Lady Tsunade's disciple. If you lay a hand on him, you'll be 'Dog-chan' by tomorrow."
"…"
"Captain, I feel a bit cold."
"Me too…"
"…We need to find the Jinchuriki. Hurry, follow him!"
———
On the other side, Sasuke dragged his exhausted body back to the Uchiha compound.
Halfway there, he started regretting leaving so soon.
He should've stayed and rested a bit longer because he was just too tired.
Earlier, he had been too excited to feel it, but now that he had calmed down, he realized he could barely walk.
It took him a long time to get back.
[Adrenaline: I can only help you this far.]
At this moment, Uchiha Mikoto was staring blankly at the freshly dried blankets in the courtyard.
Ever since she became a housewife, her days revolved around preparing meals and cleaning. The rest of the time, she just sat in a daze.
Before, Sasuke would keep her company and chat with her. But now, he was always out, leaving her alone at home.
'Sasuke has grown up… it feels a bit lonely,' Uchiha Mikoto gazed sadly at the sky.
Thud!
The sound of something heavy hitting the ground startled her out of her thoughts.
She quickly turned toward the entrance, her face filled with worry as she hurried over, "Sasuke!"
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