After Otsutsuki Isshiki was killed, the shinobi world entered a long-awaited period of peace.
Although the Kara organization had many members, without the support of its Inners, they were nothing more than a disorganized rabble.
With the intelligence provided by Sanzu Amado, they were swiftly wiped out.
Having completed his mission, Kashin Koji followed in Jiraiya's footsteps and set off to travel the shinobi world.
Kawaki, meanwhile, settled down in Konoha and became a student at the Ninja Academy.
Time passed slowly, until Konoha Year 78 arrived.
Yuzuru was sunbathing in the courtyard when Uchiha Itachi pushed open the gate and entered.
"Father."
Yuzuru looked at Itachi in surprise. "Itachi, what brings you here?"
Ever since he had moved into the Everlasting Imperial Palace, Itachi rarely came up to visit.
Even when he needed something, he would normally send someone ahead to notify him.
Why had he come directly today?
Seeing the confusion in his father's eyes, Itachi said solemnly, "The United Examination is being held in Konoha recently, so the leaders of every region have all come over."
"Among them, the Third Raikage and Elder Ōnoki both wish to meet you."
Yuzuru nodded. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen the Third Raikage in a long time either."
"Tell them to wait until the United Examination is over. I'll go see them then."
The United Examination was a talent-selection system established after the founding of the Divine Kingdom.
It was held once every three years. Outstanding individuals from other regions who passed the examination would be sent to Central University for advanced training. Most of them would eventually become leading officials in their respective fields.
Combat, medicine, biology, machinery, literature...
The Divine Kingdom's examination covered nearly every field imaginable. It was currently the most important selection process in the shinobi world.
"Father, there's one more thing..."
Yuzuru looked at Itachi, who seemed hesitant to speak, and raised an eyebrow. "What is it? Just say it."
"Some time ago, Grandma Yuriko saw me and said she wanted to introduce me to someone for a marriage meeting."
"Later, I found out that the person she wanted to introduce to me was Aunt Izumi."
"Aunt Izumi?"
Yuzuru frowned. "What Aunt Izumi?"
"Just as I thought..." Seeing his father's reaction, Itachi let out a helpless sigh.
"Father, after Aunt Izumi's maternal grandmother passed away, you attended the funeral and said that you would accept Aunt Izumi as your younger sister."
At Itachi's reminder, Yuzuru finally remembered.
"Oh, Izumi."
The image of the girl with the tear mole beneath the corner of her eye surfaced in his mind. Yuzuru rubbed his forehead.
"I completely forgot about that. This is a little troublesome now."
After accepting her as his younger sister, he had never contacted her again.
He had broken his word.
"Father, there's no need to worry. After I learned about it, I occasionally visited Aunt Izumi in your name."
"Aunt Izumi has always been grateful to you."
"After this misunderstanding with the marriage meeting happened, I asked Aunt Izumi why she had never married. That's when she told me..."
"She... she actually wants to..."
Seeing the normally composed Itachi stammering, Yuzuru asked curiously, "What does she want?"
"She wants to be my stepmother..."
Yuzuru froze.
Wait...
What?!
"Father, it was indeed thoughtless of me not to tell you beforehand, but you can't blame me for this. I only didn't want you to break your promise to someone."
"If Aunt Izumi learned that you had only accepted her as your younger sister on a whim, she would be devastated. It also wouldn't be good for your reputation if word got out."
Seeing the complicated look on his father's face, Itachi hurriedly explained.
Yuzuru gave Itachi's shoulder a firm pat and said solemnly, "Itachi, you really were thoughtless in this matter. But it's fine. I'm your father, after all. No matter how serious the problem is, I'll handle it."
"Leave it to me. I'll give Izumi an explanation."
After saying that, Yuzuru turned and walked outside.
He recalled a classic essay he had studied before transmigrating.
In Itachi's eyes, his back must have looked incredibly great right now.
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Uchiha Clan Compound.
In a modest courtyard, Uchiha Izumi placed the dishes she had prepared onto the dining table.
She wiped her hands on her apron, then walked over to a framed photograph.
The photo showed an elderly woman with a kind, gentle smile.
"Grandmother, today is the anniversary of your death. I hope you're living happily and peacefully in the Pure Land."
Izumi knelt on the floor and prayed for a while when a man's voice suddenly rang out within the room.
"That smells amazing."
Hearing the voice, Izumi spun around sharply and saw Yuzuru standing there.
"Big Brother Yuzuru?"
"Izumi, it's been a long time."
Yuzuru smiled in greeting before walking over to Uchiha Riko's memorial portrait and bowing deeply.
Riko had lived on the same street as him back then and had often looked after him. She fully deserved his respect.
Yuzuru then turned his gaze toward Izumi.
After not seeing her for several years, she was no longer the inexperienced young girl he remembered.
Her features were delicate, and her appearance was gentle.
The tear mole at the corner of her eye especially added a graceful charm to her temperament.
Seeing Yuzuru staring at her, Izumi was initially so excited that she did not know what to do. Then she seemed to remember something, and her face flushed red.
"Big Brother Yuzuru, did you suddenly come here because... because Itachi told you something?"
Yuzuru did not hide it. He walked over to the dining table, sat down, and smiled.
"That kid told me everything. Later, I need to have a word with Aunt Yuriko. How could she arrange a marriage meeting without checking both sides' circumstances beforehand?"
Izumi said with embarrassed annoyance, "That Itachi... I told him to keep it a secret."
Yuzuru smiled. "That child wouldn't dare lie to me. But... Izumi, why did you ask Aunt Yuriko to introduce someone to you?"
Facing Yuzuru's curious gaze, Izumi hurriedly waved her hands.
"I didn't. Aunt Yuriko said she had already arranged for me to meet someone, so I planned to explain things to him in person."
"I never expected the person Aunt Yuriko introduced to me to be Itachi..."
Yuzuru nodded with a smile, then asked, "None of that matters. Itachi told me you want to become his stepmother?"
The moment those words fell, Izumi's face turned red all the way to her neck.
She lowered her head in a fluster. "Um... let's eat first. Eat first..."
Seeing her reaction, Yuzuru did not press the matter any further.
Sometimes, not denying something was already an answer in itself.