As Hidan continued defending himself, he even lifted his shirt to show his unscarred, muscular abdomen. "Look! I'm not lying to you! Woman, are you just out of tune?"
Konan grimaced in pain, her voice weak. "It's not just irregular pain… it feels different."
"Then maybe it's something you ate. Either way, it has nothing to do with me!" Hidan protested, watching her fall to the ground, clutching her stomach.
Konan moaned as the pain grew, and while Hidan kept up his explanations, Kakuzu merely watched, indifferent. Itachi, however, noticed a crow perched on a branch in the dense forest, watching them.
This was no ordinary crow; it served as Itachi's line of communication with Haruto. Through it, he sensed that Haruto was nearby, though he hadn't revealed himself.
"Haruto… did you do this?" Itachi murmured to himself, growing puzzled. Haruto had come all the way here just to cause Konan a stomachache?
Before Itachi could analyze further, the crow had already disappeared, flying off in Haruto's direction.
---
"Konan, you're one of the few powerful female ninjas I respect, yet here you are, brought down by a stomachache," Kakuzu sneered, a look of contempt on his face. "Get up already. We have a lot to do, and wasting time here only delays my chance to make money."
Konan's forehead glistened with cold sweat, and her cheeks flushed as she responded weakly. "I… I can't move. It's not just my stomach… my consciousness, my body… they're going numb."
Before she could finish, she lost consciousness and collapsed.
Kakuzu scowled in frustration, feeling his irritation turn into a dark intent. "Women… what troublesome creatures! Itachi, don't stop me. I'll end her suffering right here and collect my reward. How does that sound?"
Itachi calmly replied, "Considering her relationship with our leader, I advise you against it."
Kakuzu scoffed. "Are you scared?"
Itachi ignored his comment and gently lifted Konan onto his back, sighing softly. "Let's return to the base."
---
Late at night, Haruto made his way swiftly back to Konoha Village, his mind occupied with recent events.
[Notification!] One Uchiha clan member added. The potential score for this clan member is B, and your chakra reserves have doubled.
"Chakra doubled?" Haruto muttered, surprised. "What happened? Some kind of critical boost?"
[System level: LV2. Rewards are now more substantial than at level one. Higher system levels will yield even greater rewards, so keep having children.]
"Yes, yes, you don't need to remind me," he replied, somewhat exasperated. "When have you ever seen me idle?"
[Haha, that blue-haired woman from earlier is exceptional. I have a feeling her child will be incredibly powerful.]
"Of course," Haruto mused, thinking of Konan. "She's one of the strongest kunoichi in the ninja world, likely top five. I wouldn't have gone to such lengths otherwise."
Haruto's thoughts shifted to the child Konan might bear in ten months, imagining a future where she could raise someone with even greater potential. But there was much to consider. Konan would eventually realize she was pregnant, and Haruto wanted to ensure her child was safe and healthy. He'd already assigned Itachi to keep a watchful eye on her.
"Oof!"
Haruto, still lost in thought about Konan, hadn't noticed someone in his path until he walked straight into them. He felt something soft against his chest before pulling back.
"A-ah!"
The woman gasped in surprise and quickly stepped away, clearly flustered.
"Sorry! I didn't see you—just had a lot on my mind," Haruto said, apologizing. Then, taking a closer look at her, his eyes widened.
She was strikingly elegant. Unlike the gentle warmth of Yuhi Kurenai or the playful charm of Mitarashi Anko, she had a distinct, refined aura—a blend of sweetness and confidence. She could pull off any look.
The woman's long purple hair and delicate features were unmistakable. "Uzuki Yugao!" Haruto exclaimed, realizing who she was.
Tonight, though, she wasn't wearing her usual ANBU uniform. Instead, she was dressed in a light pink kimono, her hair gathered into a high ponytail rather than left loose. It was a rare sight to see her out of her usual attire.
"Yugao? Out here so late?" he asked, a bit puzzled. She was not the type to wander around aimlessly, especially not in such an outfit.
Her cheeks flushed, and she looked away shyly, hesitating as though searching for words. Finally, she took a deep breath, looked Haruto directly in the eyes, and spoke with quiet determination.
"Haruto… I… I'm here to confess. I… I like you. I… I want to marry you."
Haruto froze, speechless.
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