Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

The kunai tore through the air with a sharp whistle, exceptionally piercing by the quiet riverbank. If it struck a person, it would undoubtedly skewer them clean through, a testament to the immense force behind the throw.

Yet Uchiha Taiga remained completely motionless as if oblivious, allowing the kunai to hurtle toward him without so much as batting an eye.

The next moment, the kunai grazed past Uchiha Taiga's ear, severing a few strands of his hair that drifted down through the air.

Immediately after, the kunai plunged into the water ahead of him with a sharp hiss, kicking up a small splash and sending ripples outward.

The fishing bobber bobbed in the ripples a few times before returning to stillness.

Uchiha Taiga did not even turn his head. "To still try and attack me now... do you truly no longer care about this village, Yugito Nii?"

"Or did that brute, Raikage A, tell you to do this?"

A figure stood a short distance behind him.

The person had a slender, well-proportioned figure clad in dark clothing, with their hair tied back. However, their facial features were completely ordinary—the kind that would instantly blend into a crowd.

Yet, their eyes were strikingly bright, carrying an unyielding, stubborn gleam.

"How did you know it was me?"

The voice indeed belonged to Yugito Nii—crisp, yet laced with caution.

Uchiha Taiga still did not look back, his gaze fixed on the bobber floating on the water.

"Have you forgotten about my eyes?"

Yugito Nii scoffed.

"I know the Byakugan can see through things, but I refuse to believe it can see through my disguise."

The corners of Uchiha Taiga's lips curled up into a faint smile.

"The Two-Tails' chakra is indeed exceptional when it comes to disguises. My Byakugan truly didn't see through it."

He paused.

"But it seems you've underestimated something."

Poof!

With a soft pop, a cloud of white smoke erupted from her body. As the smoke cleared, her true appearance was revealed.

Long sandy blonde hair, fair skin, and delicate features—it was none other than Yugito Nii.

She stood there with her arms crossed over her chest, her chin slightly raised as she stared directly at Uchiha Taiga's back.

"So, how exactly did you see through my disguise?"

Her voice carried a hint of frustration; she clearly wanted to get to the bottom of this.

Uchiha Taiga still did not look back, his tone casual. "My stereoscopic sensors went off."

Yugito Nii tilted her head, a confused expression crossing her face.

'Stereoscopic sensors?'

'What in the world is that?'

She blinked, then seemed to realize something, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks.

She scoffed and quickly changed the subject.

"You come here every day, yet I've never seen you catch a single fish. So, what exactly are you doing?"

Although she hadn't shown herself over the past few days, she had been secretly observing him. However, Uchiha Taiga's actions completely baffled her.

Why would someone so overwhelmingly powerful hole up by the river every day, just sitting there from dawn to dusk?

Wasn't it incredibly dull?

Uchiha Taiga's face twitched slightly, though he remained silent.

He didn't harbor any ill will toward Yugito Nii, and it wasn't just because she was a beauty.

Well, that was part of it, but it wasn't the main reason.

She was a Jinchuriki, after all. She was far more valuable alive than dead. Keeping her around in the future would make it much more convenient for him to conduct research related to the Tailed Beasts.

Therefore, Uchiha Taiga was quite magnanimous in the face of her mockery. He didn't even fault her for failing to present herself to him over the past few days.

She was a stunning beauty, after all. He could perfectly understand a bit of tsundere behavior.

Just as Uchiha Taiga was pondering how to answer her question, a large fish suddenly floated to the surface of the water in front of him.

The fish was easily half a meter long, floating belly-up with its white underbelly exposed. A kunai was lodged firmly in its body—the exact same kunai Yugito Nii had thrown moments ago.

The blade had pierced straight through one eye socket and out the other, a testament to her deadly accuracy.

Yugito Nii walked up to the riverbank and flicked her wrist, sending out a thin steel wire. The end of the wire wrapped precisely around the ring of the kunai.

With another flick of her wrist, she yanked the large fish and the kunai out of the water, sending them flopping onto the grassy shore.

"How pathetic. You can't even catch a single fish."

She bent down, picked up the fish, and yanked out her kunai. Holding the catch up to inspect it, she then turned to look at Uchiha Taiga.

"Consider this fish a gift from me."

Uchiha Taiga's face instantly darkened, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

"You don't understand fishing at all. It's about the ambiance."

With his dignity on the line, Uchiha Taiga tossed aside his fishing rod and shot to his feet, facing Yugito Nii head-on.

"Your method is completely devoid of soul!"

His voice rose an octave, filled with the agitation of a man whose pride had just been deeply offended.

Yugito Nii raised an eyebrow, her tone deadpan.

"Then why haven't you managed to catch a single fish yet?"

Uchiha Taiga practically stomped his foot in frustration.

"Fishing isn't about the fish! It's about the thrill of the bite!"

He waved his hands wildly, defending himself vehemently.

What followed was a barrage of incomprehensible excuses—things like "fishing isn't about the fish, it's about the process," "fishing requires patience," and "the fish here just aren't as good as the ones in Konoha." The air was suddenly filled with a lively, cheerful atmosphere.

Yugito Nii watched him ramble on, her expression unchanged, but her thoughts drifted back to a few days prior.

Inside the Raikage's office.

She had just been discharged from the medical ward that day. Her injuries hadn't fully healed, and bandages were still wrapped tightly around her arms.

She had been summoned to the Raikage's office. Pushing the door open, she saw Raikage A sitting behind his desk with Killer Bee standing beside him. Both of them wore incredibly serious expressions.

She assumed they were going to discuss a matter of utmost importance, or perhaps formulate a counter-strategy against that boy.

"Yugito."

Raikage A spoke, his voice low and solemn.

"The village has an incredibly important mission for you."

Yugito Nii straightened her posture, her expression turning serious.

"What are my orders?"

Raikage A took a deep breath, looking as though he were making a monumental decision.

"Find a way to make that guy stay in the village."

Yugito Nii froze. She blinked, certain she had misheard him.

"Who could possibly accomplish that?" she asked.

"You can."

Raikage A's tone was dead serious.

"I believe you are the only one who can."

Yugito Nii's mind raced, trying to process his words, but she still couldn't wrap her head around it.

"How am I supposed to do that?"

Raikage A fell silent. He shot a glance at Killer Bee, who merely shrugged and gave him a look that clearly said, 'Don't look at me.'

Raikage A looked back at Yugito Nii. His expression was as grave as if they were discussing the very survival of the village.

"You are renowned throughout the village for your beauty."

Yugito Nii furrowed her brows, a distinct sense of foreboding washing over her.

"That guy is just a fourteen or fifteen-year-old brat. He's definitely never experienced romance, let alone had a taste of anything good."

Raikage A's voice was perfectly steady, as if he were delivering a tactical analysis of the enemy.

"I want you to conquer him."

Yugito Nii stood frozen. The expression on her face morphed from confusion to sheer disbelief, then from disbelief to anger, and finally settled into something entirely indescribable.

"Lord Raikage."

Her composure began to crack. "Do you even hear what you're saying right now?"

Raikage A's expression remained completely stoic.

"He possesses the dual Kekkei Genkai of both the Uchiha and the Hyuga."

He paused.

"Besides, the brat is incredibly handsome. It's not like you're losing out on this deal."

Yugito Nii's face flushed bright red.

The crimson hue spread from her neck all the way to the tips of her ears, burning so hotly she felt like she was on fire.

She opened and closed her mouth like a gaping fish, desperately wanting to retort, but found herself completely speechless. Her mind was an absolute mess.

She had no idea how she managed to walk out of the Raikage's office. All she remembered was Killer Bee calling out, "Good luck, yeah!" from behind her before the door clicked shut.

The memory ended there.

Back in the present, Yugito Nii stood by the riverbank, holding the dead fish in her hand with a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

She watched Uchiha Taiga as he continued to ramble on about the true essence of fishing. She looked at his handsome face, his striking white eyes gleaming in the sunlight, and his flushed, animated cheeks.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Yugito Nii bit her lower lip and quickly averted her gaze, staring down at the fish in her hand instead.

"So, do you want the fish or not?"

She abruptly interrupted Uchiha Taiga's lengthy tirade.

Uchiha Taiga's voice cut off instantly.

He glanced at the fish, then back at Yugito Nii. With a defiant huff, he turned his head and sat back down on his large rock.

"No."

He picked up his fishing rod, baited the hook once more, and cast his line. The hook splashed into the water, leaving the bobber to sway gently on the surface.

"I'm going to catch one myself."

Yugito Nii watched him for a moment. Still holding the fish, she walked over and sat down on another rock right beside him.

Neither of them spoke a word, leaving the atmosphere between them to settle into a rather peculiar silence.