Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Hyuga Neji felt a sudden wave of nervousness when Uchiha Taiga called out his name.

That nervousness wasn't the anxiety of facing a strong enemy, but rather an inexplicable pressure rising from the depths of his heart and spreading throughout his entire body.

This feeling was even stronger than when he had faced Uchiha Madara.

At least Uchiha Madara's strength was predictable. Susanoo, Mangekyo Sharingan—those were things written in textbooks; he knew exactly how terrifying they were.

But the Uchiha Taiga standing before him gave off an unfathomable aura.

Standing in front of him, you couldn't see his depths, his limits, or his boundaries. It was like standing before a dense fog—you knew something was behind it, but you couldn't see it.

Because in his Byakugan's vision, everything about the man before him was no different from an ordinary person.

No, to be precise, he was even less than an ordinary person.

No matter how weak an ordinary person was, they always had a trace of chakra seeping from within, flowing across their skin, visible to the Byakugan.

But this man had absolutely no chakra at all.

His body was like a vacuum—no chakra fluctuations, no flow within the meridian pathways, and no glowing chakra points.

He was completely empty.

Beads of sweat formed on Hyuga Neji's forehead, trickling down the bridge of his nose.

He couldn't explain why, but facing Uchiha Taiga, Neji felt a mix of excitement and unease, unable to clearly define his own emotions.

Uchiha Taiga merely smiled faintly and withdrew his gaze.

His smile was subtle, the curve of his lips slight, but it carried a reassuring quality. It wasn't forced; it radiated from his very bones.

His gaze swept over the others, shifting from Hyuga Neji to Uchiha Sasuke. It lingered on Sasuke's face for a moment before moving away, finally settling on Uchiha Itachi.

"It's been a long time, Itachi."

His voice wasn't loud, carrying the casual tone of a reunion.

"You're almost as tall as me now."

Uchiha Itachi took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

His expression seemed calm, but his eyes were complex. Suppressing the excitement and nervousness in his heart, he gathered his thoughts before speaking. "Yes, it's been a long time, Taiga-sensei."

His voice sounded a bit hoarse.

Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji were simultaneously startled, shooting glances at Uchiha Itachi. Both of their eyes were wide open, mouths slightly agape, their expressions shifting from tension to absolute shock.

'Taiga-sensei? Uchiha Taiga is Uchiha Itachi's teacher?'

The two instinctively exchanged a look, both seeing the astonishment in each other's eyes.

They had set out from Konoha, traveled for days, fought a battle, been tied up once, and were nearly captured by Uchiha Madara—all just to find this man.

But they had no idea that Uchiha Itachi had this kind of relationship with him.

Uzumaki Karin was equally surprised.

Her eyes widened, her mouth hanging open even wider than Sasuke's and Neji's, her jaw practically dropping to the floor.

"Huh? I'm not Sensei's only student?"

Her tone carried an obvious sense of grievance, like a child suddenly discovering they weren't their parents' only child.

Uchiha Taiga smiled faintly, looking at Karin.

"Silly girl."

His voice was soft, carrying the doting tone of an elder toward a younger generation.

"Why would you care about something like that?"

Uzumaki Karin pouted.

"Being Sensei's student is something to be very proud of."

Her voice was loud, laced with stubbornness.

As she spoke, she turned to look at Konan, her eyes filled with obvious anticipation. She hoped to hear the words she wanted from her, something like "You are the most special one" or "Sensei dotes on you the most."

Konan, however, simply turned her head away.

Her movement was swift, almost as if she had prepared for it. Facing the river, she watched the ripples on the water. Her expression remained unchanged, as cold as ever, but her lips twitched slightly—it was hard to tell if she was smiling or not.

This brought Uzumaki Karin crashing back to reality. Her shoulders slumped, and she lowered her head, her previously excited demeanor wilting completely.

Uchiha Taiga gave a light smile and paid Uzumaki Karin no more mind.

"Alright, guests from afar should be welcomed. Although I don't know why you came here, it must have been a hard journey. Since you're here, settle down first."

After speaking, he bent down, picked up the bucket from the ground, and poured the water out. He then grabbed his fishing rod and small stool, tucked the rod under his arm, hooked the stool onto the edge of the bucket, and started walking in a certain direction.

Uzumaki Karin, sharp-eyed as ever, noticed there were no fish in the bucket, and the corners of her mouth curled up.

"Did Sensei fail to catch any fish again?"

Uchiha Taiga ignored her and kept walking.

Uzumaki Karin chased after him with quick steps.

"If Sensei can't catch any fish, why do you keep insisting on it?"

Her voice called out from behind.

Uchiha Taiga still didn't answer her.

Uchiha Itachi took a deep breath, pulling his gaze away from Uchiha Taiga's back. He glanced at Sasuke and Neji beside him, then stepped forward to follow.

Seeing this, Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji had similar reactions. They exchanged another look before simultaneously stepping forward to follow.

The group walked along a small path through the fields.

The path wasn't wide, only allowing two people to walk side by side. The surface was made of gravel, crunching under their feet. On both sides of the path were farmlands, the crops growing tall and dense in a lush sea of green.

When the wind blew, the crops rustled, sounding like people whispering.

After walking for a few minutes, they arrived in front of a courtyard house.

The house wasn't large and looked very traditional, with gray roof tiles, white walls, and wooden doors and windows.

The courtyard wall wasn't high, allowing them to see inside. The yard was small but very tidy, paved with gravel. In the corner grew a cherry blossom tree; the flowers had already withered, leaving behind dense, vibrant green leaves. At the entrance stood two stone lanterns carved with intricate patterns.

Konan stood at the entrance of the house. She turned around and looked at Uchiha Taiga.

"I've brought them here. I'll be heading back now."

Her tone was flat.

Uchiha Taiga thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Mm, thanks for your hard work."

He paused.

"Tell Nagato I'll drop by his place later."

Konan nodded, turned, and walked away. After a few steps, her figure disappeared at the end of the fields.

The main gate of the courtyard opened, and a woman stood at the doorway.

She wore light-colored clothes and had long red hair cascading over her shoulders, the ends curling slightly.

Her skin was very fair, and her features were gentle. There was a soft elegance in her eyes and brows, accompanied by a faint smile.

Uzumaki Karin immediately threw herself forward.

"Mom!"

Her tone carried an irrepressible joy.

She threw herself into the woman's arms, wrapping her hands around her waist.

The woman's body swayed slightly before she steadied herself. She raised a hand to rest on Karin's head, gently ruffling her hair.

Uchiha Taiga stood at the doorway, watching the scene, the smile on his lips deepening.

"Alright, let's all head inside first."

He stepped aside, clearing the doorway.

"We have guests."

The woman nodded and let go of Uzumaki Karin.

"Yes, my lord. I'll go prepare some tea."

After speaking, she turned and walked into the courtyard, with Uzumaki Karin following behind her, her steps light and brisk.

Uchiha Itachi stood at the doorway, looking at the cherry blossom tree in the yard, the stone lanterns, and the wooden doors and windows. His expression remained calm.

Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji stood behind him, both looking somewhat bewildered.

The group entered the courtyard.

"No need to be so tense. Have a seat first."

Uchiha Taiga set down his fishing gear and casually sat on the tatami mats in the main hall. He glanced at the group and smiled. "I'm not surprised Itachi came to find me; this child has always had a mind of his own since he was young. But what's the situation with you two? A young master of the Uchiha and the son of the Hyuga Branch House head—how did you two end up mixed together?"

It was obvious that Uchiha Taiga was quite curious about this.

Uchiha Sasuke opened his mouth, hesitating to speak, but Hyuga Neji immediately dropped to his knees in a deep prostration.

"My lord, please help me remove the Caged Bird curse mark."

Uchiha Taiga's hand paused slightly as he picked up his teacup. He looked at Hyuga Neji. "Is this your idea, or the idea of the Hyuga Branch House?"

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