"Whoosh!"
At the Dark Hidden Village tower, just as Akira was presenting Yu to everyone, a beam of white summoning light suddenly descended from above and enveloped her.
"This is—?!"
Yu jolted violently, her mind racing at lightning speed.
It's Sage Katsuyu's reverse summoning!
Because of Peach Haven's barrier, there's a delay!
In about five seconds, I'll be summoned over!
What should I do? Cut the summoning's causality with Annihilation Severance?
No… that would be even harder to explain to her later!
And the only reason Sage Katsuyu would suddenly summon me…
It must have something to do with Naruto and Sasuke!
So they followed the trail of Shikkotsu Sage Art?
If that's the case…
"Rip!"
One second before being summoned away, Yu suddenly tore off the black divine robe embroidered with the Uchiha crest!
"Ah—!"
Konan, who was facing her directly, instantly widened her amber eyes.
"Don't panic! Go on with whatever you were doing! I'll be right back!"
"Bang!"
With her words falling, Yu vanished in a puff of white smoke.
—
Sacred Land, Shikkotsu Forest.
Before Sage Katsuyu, beneath the Holy Spirit Waterfall.
The smoke dispersed.
Yu squatted down, hugging her chest, eyes shut tight as she cried out:
"Eek~! Grandmaster Katsuyu, what are you doing summoning me out of nowhere?! I was about to take a bath~!"
"Ah!"
Katsuyu hurriedly stepped forward, blocking the two startled gazes behind her.
"Xiao Yu, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were going to bathe!"
She turned back sharply.
"Naruto! Sasuke! Stop staring and look away—now!"
"T-This… cough, cough…"
Naruto coughed twice, blushing furiously as he turned his head aside.
"..."
Sasuke also turned away stiffly, clearly uncomfortable.
"It's okay, Xiao Yu, it's okay now."
Katsuyu gathered Sage Chakra and formed a pale green-and-white robe, draping it over Yu.
When Yu opened her eyes again, her Rinnegan and Eternal Mangekyō had already faded into a pair of clear, beautiful black pupils.
She clutched the collar tightly, wrapping herself up, then stood and asked curiously,
"Grandmaster Katsuyu, who are these two gentlemen?"
Naruto didn't know where to look anymore. He scratched his head awkwardly.
"H-Hi… I'm Uzumaki Naruto…"
"And this is Uchiha Sasuke."
Inside, he couldn't help thinking:
She's amazing… I've never seen a girl this pretty before…
I still think Hinata is the most beautiful in my heart, but objectively speaking… Yu might have even broader appeal…
"Naruto… Sasuke…"
Yu murmured their names, her eyes lighting up with admiration.
"Ah! You wouldn't happen to be… the heroes who ended the Fourth Great Ninja War?!"
"Wow! It's such an honor to meet you!"
Come on. Anyone who can run like a ninja knows who you are.
If I said I didn't, that'd be exposing myself.
"Naruto, enough small talk. Don't forget why we're here."
Sasuke reminded him, activating his Sharingan as he carefully examined the chakra pathways around Yu's eyes and brain.
Deep down, he still hadn't abandoned two suspicions.
First: that Akira and Yu were the same person.
Second: that Yu was being controlled by Akira to siphon Sage Chakra.
But everything looked normal.
Which was only natural.
Before closing her Rinnegan, Yu had used Annihilation Severance to cut the apparent causality between her eyes and body.
All potential physical and spiritual fluctuations were concealed.
Not only her dōjutsu, but even the shared Hashirama chakra between Akira and Yu was hidden.
As long as she didn't actively use them.
Still uneasy, Sasuke took out the chakra crystal Orochimaru had given him—Uchiha Akira's chakra sample.
No matter how good someone's disguise was, chakra traces couldn't be erased.
"…No reaction."
Of course there was none.
A twin-blossom inversion body had a different chakra base and different properties.
Sasuke clenched the crystal tightly, his single arm falling to his side.
So… Akira and Yu really have nothing to do with each other?
Yu asked innocently,
"Grandmaster Katsuyu, what's going on? Why are the two legendary heroes here? And why was I suddenly summoned?"
Katsuyu had already confirmed what Sasuke had.
Yu's spirit showed no sign of control, and her life force was perfectly healthy.
The tension in her heart finally eased.
Five years apart… Xiao Yu has grown even more beautiful.
Her mood lifted instantly.
She took Yu's hand and sat down beneath the waterfall, signaling Naruto and Sasuke to sit as well.
Then she explained everything.
"Uchiha… Akira?"
After listening quietly, Yu lowered her eyes in thought.
After a long moment, she raised her gaze and met Sasuke's intense stare.
"Um… may I ask something first?"
"Didn't the Uchiha clan already…"
Sasuke replied calmly, "Because of historical reasons, a small number of Uchiha became civilians and lived in hiding, mostly in the Land of Lightning."
"I see."
Yu spoke gracefully and composedly.
"I can't say I've never seen someone like that."
"I can only say that in my memory, no one named 'Akira' ever appeared."
Sasuke asked, "That sounds interesting. What do you mean?"
Yu replied softly,
"I've always lived in the countryside of the Land of Water, following my grandfather's rule—cultivate oneself and avoid ninja conflicts."
"If someone called Akira truly has the power to trouble two war heroes…"
"Then it's not impossible that he secretly approached me and obtained my Sage Chakra without my knowledge."
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances and nodded.
If she had flatly said "I don't know him," it would've been more suspicious.
Her reasoning was logical and upright.
Then Naruto, who had been silent, spoke up.
"But Xiao Yu, mastering Shikkotsu Sage Art—the hardest of the Three Great Sage Arts—is incredible."
"Your strength as a ninja must be pretty high, right?"
"Well…"
Yu smiled gently.
"First, I'm not really a ninja. I don't belong to any village."
"Second, I don't know if I'm strong or not. I haven't fought much, so I have nothing to compare myself to…"
Naruto said, "Then would you mind having a reference?"
"Huh?" Yu blinked. "I don't quite understand."
Naruto explained,
"Honestly, this is our request."
"We ran into Akira and lacked information about him."
"So we'd like to spar with you—as the legitimate inheritor of Shikkotsu Sage Art."
"It'll help us understand his abilities. Is that okay?"
"Um…"
Yu hesitated.
"I really don't fight much…"
Naruto grinned.
"Don't worry. We'll hold back."
"I'll only use Sage Mode."
"Sasuke will only use Mangekyō Sharingan."
"How about that?"
Yu looked to Katsuyu.
"Grandmaster…?"
Katsuyu smiled.
"Go ahead, Xiao Yu. I'll be here. No one will get hurt."
"Alright, then."
Yu straightened her clothes and stood.
No Nine-Tails.
No Rinnegan.
Just Sage Art and Mangekyō.
Those were your terms.
Then don't blame me for giving you another lesson…
Naruto.
Sasuke.
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