Naruto: The Ninja World's Life Buyer

Chapter 197 Warm Life, Light Across the Darkness

"You yourself?"

Sosuke paused slightly, his gaze falling on Mikoto's protruding belly.

"Lady Mikoto, please forgive my bluntness."

Sosuke's tone was concerned.

"Your current physical condition is not suitable for strenuous activity. Although illusion magic does not require vigorous exercise, it is extremely mentally taxing."

"Furthermore, if the elders in the clan find out that I've put you on a job—"

Sosuke gave a wry smile.

"I'm afraid they'll come and smash my shop with their canes."

Seeing Sousuke's tense demeanor, Mikoto couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

Her laughter was soft and melodious, like a wind chime.

"Mr. Sosuke, you're too nervous."

"I am pregnant, but first and foremost I am an Uchiha, a Jonin."

"Moreover, it is precisely because I am about to become a mother that I cannot bear to hear the cries of orphans. This is not just a duty."

This is what I want to do.

Her tone was gentle, yet firm. It was the decision of a former matriarch of a wealthy family.

Sosuke remained silent for a moment. She was a woman who appeared gentle but was strong inside.

"I see."

Sosuke stopped trying to dissuade him.

"Since it's your decision, I fully support it."

"However, I have conditions."

Sosuke held up one finger.

"During treatment, either I or Dr. Nonou must be present to monitor your physical condition."

Mikoto paused for a moment, then smiled helplessly.

"good.

The new orphanage, the psychological healing room.

This was a specially decorated room. The walls were painted a warm yellow, the floor was covered with thick cushions, and the air was filled with calming incense.

Uchiha Mikoto knelt on the soft cushion.

Opposite her was a six-year-old boy. He was huddled up, his eyes filled with terror. He was a war orphan who had witnessed his parents being blown to pieces by explosive tags.

"Look into my eyes, child."

Mikoto's voice was very soft.

The boy instinctively looked up. He met a pair of scarlet Sharingan eyes.

The three-tomoe jade ornaments rotated slowly.

There was no murderous intent, no coldness. The power flowing from those eyes was as warm as a hot spring.

Reverse application of the illusion technique "Naraku-sight".

Normal illusions instill fear in people, but Mikoto's method does the opposite.

In the boy's world, blood and fire disappeared.

Before him stretched a field of blooming sunflowers. The sun was warm, and a gentle breeze was blowing. He heard his parents' voices—not screams of pain, but laughter.

"Go to sleep—"

Mikoto whispered.

The boy's tense nerves finally relaxed, and he lay down on the soft cushion, breathing evenly.

"call----"

Mikoto closed her eyes and deactivated her Sharingan.

A fine layer of sweat appeared on her forehead. Even for a Jonin, maintaining such a delicate genjutsu for an extended period of time is an immense burden, let alone for someone who is pregnant.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mikoto-sama."

A clean white handkerchief was handed to her.

Sosuke stood at the door, watching quietly.

"Mr. Sosuke."

Mikoto took the handkerchief and wiped her forehead.

"I apologize for the poor quality. My chakra control seems to have deteriorated somewhat due to pregnancy."

"No, it's perfect."

Sosuke came in and covered the sleeping child with a blanket.

Then he reached out and helped Mikoto to her feet.

As she used the momentum to get up, Mikoto suddenly frowned and clutched her stomach.

"Ugh————"

"What's wrong?" Sousuke's expression changed. "Are you feeling unwell?"

He immediately gathered healing chakra.

"No, no need."

Mikoto quickly stopped him.

A blush rose on her face, a mixture of shyness and delight.

"Yes—he's moving."

"move?"

"Yes. He kicked me."

Mikoto looked down at her belly, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Fetal movement.

Sosuke breathed a sigh of relief.

He stared at the bulge. There, gestating, was the future Uchiha Itachi. That tragic genius burdened with both darkness and light.

At this very moment, he is still in his mother's womb, rejoicing because of his mother's good deeds.

"It seems he'll be a very energetic kid in the future."

Sosuke said softly.

"Can I try it?"

This statement is somewhat presumptuous.

But in this particular atmosphere, in this quiet room filled with new life, it seems so natural.

Mikoto hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently.

"Um""

Shinsousuke extended his hand.

Through the fabric, his palm rested on the raised curve.

Warm.

Followed by.

thump.

A slight impact struck Sousuke's palm.

It was faint, but powerful.

That's life announcing its existence.

Sosuke's heart skipped a beat.

This feeling is wonderful.

He and the Uchiha clan had schemed and plotted so much. But when he actually touched this new life, all those schemes seemed to fade into the distance.

"He is very strong."

"9

Sosuke withdrew his hand, his voice tinged with emotion.

"He will become a great ninja."

"Yeah?"

Mikoto stroked her belly, her eyes filled with anticipation.

"I don't expect him to be anything extraordinary. I just hope he can grow up safely, learn to love, and not bear as much burden as his father did—that's enough."

"Yes."

Sousuke looked at Mikoto.

"With a mother like you, he will surely understand what love is."

The two walked out of the orphanage.

As the sun sets, it turns the Nanga River golden.

The riverbank is covered with clumps of wild red camellias.

"I'll take you back."

Sosuke slowed his pace to match the pregnant woman's.

"Thank you for your help."

The two walked side by side, their shadows stretching long behind them and overlapping.

"Mr. Sosuke."

"Um?"

"This child—hasn't been named yet."

Mikoto walked very slowly.

"Fugaku left in such a hurry, he didn't have time to—"

Her voice lowered.

"If you don't mind—"

Mikoto stopped and looked at Sosuke.

"Could you please suggest a name for him?"

This is an immense level of trust.

In this era, naming a posthumous child is often done by the most respected person in the family, or someone who has done a great favor for the family.

Sousuke looked at Mikoto.

He knew the child's name. That name was destined to resound throughout the ninja world, destined to be accompanied by blood and fire.

But he didn't want to change his name. Because the name itself represented an extreme destiny.

"Itachi".

Sosuke slowly uttered a single word.

"Itachi?" Mikoto repeated.

"Yes."

Sosuke looked at the distant sky.

"In ancient legends, the weasel is an extremely intelligent and patient creature."

"It walks in the darkness, yet brings light."

"The Uchiha clan carries too much darkness on their shoulders. I hope this child can find his own path in the darkness, just like Itachi."

"Itachi————"

Mikoto murmured.

"Uchiha Itachi."

Her eyes lit up.

"It's a great name. I like it very much."

"Thank you, Mr. Sosuke."

She bowed deeply to Sosuke.

The wind blew by.

A few leaves drifted down and landed on her shoulder.

Sosuke reached out and gently brushed away the fallen leaves.

"Let's go. I'll take you home."

"Um.

""

But at that moment...

Beneath the eyepatch covering Sosuke's left eye, his snake-like pupil suddenly contracted to the size of a pinpoint.

In his thermal imaging field of view, a dozen or so orange-red heat sources suddenly appeared ahead. They lurked like stones in the bushes, behind rocks, and—underground.

"Mikoto-sama."

Sosuke's voice was completely flat.

"Please come closer to me."

Mikoto was taken aback.

As a Jonin of the Uchiha clan, her insight was equally sharp. Her eyes changed.

Her gentle, watery eyes instantly turned crimson.

The Sharingan with three tomoe is awakened.

"Is it over there?"

Her voice turned serious.

"Yes."

Sosuke forms a mudra with both hands.

"It seems that although Danzo is dead, the demons he raised are still roaming around."

Before he could finish speaking...

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

A sharp, piercing sound.

Dozens of black kunai, wrapped with explosive tags, shot in from all directions.

A comprehensive and thorough attack.

"Don't worry about me!"

Mikoto gave a low shout.

She didn't dodge. For a pregnant woman, strenuous movement is a major no-no.

She stood still, and several shuriken slid out from her wide sleeves.

"Ding ding ding ding!"

She flipped her wrist, the movement as elegant as arranging flowers.

Several shuriken traced strange arcs in the air, colliding with each other and changing their trajectories.

That was the third sword that Sousuke had been desperately pursuing but could never obtain! The ultimate sword technique of the Uchiha school of shurikenjutsu.

She accurately shot down each of the kunai that were shot from the air. She even used the force of the impact to deflect two of the shuriken into the dark forest.

"what!"

A muffled groan. Someone had been hit.

But this was just a feint by the enemy.

The real killer move is underground.

"Earth Release: Heart-Slaying Decapitation Technique!"

The soil beneath Sosuke and Mikoto's feet suddenly liquefied. Two hands reached out and grabbed their ankles.

"roll!"

"Water Release: Water Sand Cut!"

Water instantly condensed beneath Sosuke's feet, transforming into rapidly spinning silver saw teeth.

"Zi"

Those two outstretched hands were instantly severed.

Blood gushed out, staining the muddy water red.

The attackers underground didn't even have time to scream before their heads were sliced ​​open by high-pressure water jets.

"Come out."

Sosuke formed hand seals again, and the water flowed into a flowing wall, blocking a wave of Thousand Bones rain.

He stood in front of Mikoto, his single eye coldly scanning the surroundings.

"Since you're just remnants of the root, don't hide like a rat."

Twelve people emerged from the darkness.

They wore masks and gray vests. Their aura was cold and deathly.

root.

After Danzo's death, the die-hard loyalists who were not recruited or chose to return to their original positions.

"Takaya Sosuke————"

The leader of the Root ninja spoke in a cold voice.

"You killed Lord Danzo. We will use your blood to appease his spirit in heaven."

"And that woman—"

His gaze fell on Mikoto's stomach.

"All Uchiha descendants deserve to die."

This statement touched a raw nerve.

Mikoto's eyes turned completely cold.

"Mr. Sosuke."

Ya slowly drew a short knife from his sleeve.

Please take good care of yourself.

"These people—I'll take care of them."

"No.

Sosuke stopped her.

He took out two yellow talismans from his pocket.

"Lady Mikoto, you are a noble piece of porcelain and should not touch these rubble."

"and----"

"We no longer have to deal with the garbage ourselves."

next second.

Click, click, click.

The sound of synchronized mechanical meshing came from all around.

Sosuke's ten elite private soldiers, equipped with tactical prosthetics and wielding repeating crossbows, have surrounded the area.

They've been lurking in the shadows; that's now Sosuke's standard mode of transportation.

Although they were a beat too slow, by the time they reacted, the people at the root had no chance left.

"kill."

Sosuke uttered a single word.

"Bang bang bang bang—!!!"

Arrows rained down like a storm.

The Root ninjas are very strong. In a one-on-one fight, each of them could easily kill two or three of these retired ninjas.

Yes, times have changed.

Faced with a barrage of crossbow bolts, they had no choice but to temporarily retreat.

"Earth Release·Earth Style Wall!"

The earthen wall rose.

Retreat was futile. The armor-piercing arrows, improved by the Uchiha Armory, easily pierced the earthen wall. Then came the explosive tags on the arrows.

"Boom!"

The earthen wall cracked.

The formation at the base was instantly broken.

"Scatter! Charge!"

The leader roared from the root.

They tried to break through the crossbow bolts and charge towards Sosuke.

"Too naive."

Genzo and his prosthetic squad put away their crossbows and engaged in a direct confrontation.

Their metal prosthetics conceal various insidious mechanisms, including poisonous smoke, senbon needles, and even small sprayers.

"ah!!"

A Root ninja was kicked by Genzo's metal leg, and the serrated edge of the leg tore apart his femoral artery.

Yuanzao's side had a huge numerical advantage, and the battle ended quickly.

Mikoto stood behind Sousuke, unable to wield the short sword in her hand.

Aya looked around at the prosthetic ninjas and was deeply shocked. This unit—it was too strong.

Is this the power that Mr. Sosuke possesses?

"Be careful!"

Suddenly, Mikoto's Sharingan detected a slight disturbance.

Seeing that there was no hope of breaking through, the Root ninja in charge actually used a forbidden technique.

His body expanded rapidly, and his chakra turned into a strange purple color.

"The Four Symbols Seal Together!"

He wanted to self-destruct, taking everyone with him to their deaths.

"Dream on."

Sosuke moved.

He had anticipated this move.

The two yellow talismans in his hand were carried away by the water.

【Reverse Vortex - Golden Binding Talisman】.

The talisman was affixed to the forehead of the Root ninja.

"Buzz"

The black vortex technique involves hair flicking.

The chakra that was about to explode was instantly pumped back into the body, as if sucked away by a water pump.

"Well----"

The Root Ninja Lover remained rooted to the spot.

"it's over."

Sosuke stepped forward and extended his right index finger.

"Water Release: Water Sand Cut".

Noisy!

A silver line flashed, and the head of the Root ninja flew off.

The battle is over. All twelve Root assassins have been wiped out.

Sosuke turned around and looked at Mikoto.

"I'm sorry to have startled you, Lady Mikoto."

Mikoto deactivated her Sharingan and sheathed her short sword.

"Mr. Sosuke—your unit is very powerful."

She praised it sincerely.

"It's just for our own mining."

Sousuke smiled.

He glanced into the distance.

There, a figure was rapidly approaching.

The Dark Division member wearing a fox mask.

They arrived "just in time." They arrived exactly one minute after the battle ended.

"Who's fighting here?!"

"A squad leader shouted sternly."

Sosuke looked at these belated "police officers" with a mocking gaze.

"Takaya Shokai was attacked and acted in self-defense."

97

Sosuke said calmly.

"The attackers are remnants of the Root."

The squad leader glanced at the corpses scattered on the ground, then at the fully armed prosthetic troops around him, and his expression changed beneath his mask.

Of course he knew what was happening here.

The Lingying Building had already received the alert. Xiaochun, who was staying at the dormitory, suggested: "Let's assess the situation first."

If Takaya Sousuke was killed, then it's a good opportunity to get rid of this unstable businessman. If Root was killed, then they can come out and whitewash the situation.

"So that's how it is."

The dark squad leader's tone softened somewhat.

"Now that the threat has been eliminated, we'll handle this. Please, Jonin Takaya and Lady Mikoto, leave now."

Sosuke's eyes were cold.

"Tell Lady Lingying that I do not wish for a next time. If even the safety of major taxpayers cannot be guaranteed, then the Takaya Trading Company may consider—relocating to other countries."

The squad leader broke out in a cold sweat.

"Yes—I will report the truth."

Sosuke turned to look at Mikoto.

"Let's go, Lady Mikoto. The smell of blood here is too strong; it's not good for the child."

The two left.

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