Haruto Saito turned around and glared fiercely at Uchiha Mikoto, snapping, "You little brat, what did you just say?!"
"Nothing at all, Haruto-san. You must have misheard," Uchiha Mikoto immediately put on a sweet smile, looking utterly gentle and innocent.
Haruto couldn't be bothered to argue with her. Instead, he turned his gaze back to Uchiha Fugaku and asked, "So? If I take on an A-rank mission, it counts as full atonement, right?"
"Theoretically, yes," Uchiha Fugaku replied, his eye twitching, "but..."
"Then that's it! I'll take an A-rank mission. One and done!" Haruto declared firmly.
"Haruto-san, please don't be reckless!" Uchiha Fugaku stepped forward urgently to dissuade him. "Listen to me—A-rank missions are extremely dangerous. The shinobi who take them on are usually Jonin, and even experienced ones at that. Even for them, the failure rate is high, and failure often means death."
"Then why not just officially release me? I don't need to atone for anything. That way, I won't be taking any reckless risks."
"That's..."
Uchiha Fugaku looked troubled. That was impossible. The Third Hokage's ruling was final, and no one had the power to overturn it.
"Haruto-san, trust me, I only have your best interests in mind! You realize that I, Uchiha Fugaku, have been a Jonin for over six months now, yet I've never taken on an A-rank mission? I've completed plenty of B-rank missions, but I still feel like I lack enough experience. Do you understand what I'm saying? In missions, experience is more crucial than raw strength. The outside world is unpredictable. Charging in recklessly will only get you killed."
"Alright, alright, stop nagging. You're worse than Tsunade, that damned woman. I've made up my mind—I'm taking an A-rank mission. Is that a problem?"
"Regulations-wise… no, it's not. But..."
Uchiha Fugaku trailed off. He was baffled because, technically, lower-ranked shinobi weren't allowed to accept A-rank missions. Even B-rank missions were out of their league. But for some unknown reason, the Hokage had specifically written in the ruling that Haruto could undertake higher-level missions to atone for his actions. The Hokage had even emphasized that Haruto could execute missions inside enemy territory.
Normally, missions involving travel into enemy lands were reserved for high-level operations.
This meant Haruto had no restrictions on mission selection.
"That's final! I'm doing an A-rank mission!" Haruto stood firm. "So, do I pick a mission myself, or do you assign one to me?"
"This is a special case. I'll need to report it to my superiors first. Go home and wait for further instructions," Uchiha Fugaku said.
"Alright! I'll head home now. See you later!" Haruto turned and walked out.
As he passed by Uchiha Mikoto, he gave her a sideways glance. She maintained her ever-sweet smile, her crescent-moon eyes full of feigned kindness.
The moment Haruto left, Mikoto's expression darkened like a storm cloud. She kicked over the couch, grabbed a decorative vase from a nearby cabinet, and hurled it across the room. The cabinet soon followed.
CRASH! BANG! BOOM!
A flurry of destruction filled the room as Mikoto let out a frustrated scream. "Fugaku-sama! I QUIT!"
Uchiha Fugaku crossed his arms, casting a glance at the overturned furniture before sternly addressing her. "Mikoto, calm yourself! You are a shinobi. Learn to control your emotions."
"That arrogant little bastard! He—he's insufferable! He's shameless! Full of himself! He thinks he's the greatest thing to ever exist! I've had enough! I don't want to keep pretending! I quit, I quit!"
"Mikoto, do you want to be an excellent shinobi?" Fugaku asked seriously.
"Of course I do, but—"
"No buts. You know that my father entrusted us with the operation against Haruto and the Hyuga clan to test our abilities. We're young; we need to prove ourselves. If we can't handle something this simple—if we can't even deal with Haruto properly—our clan will be disappointed in us."
Fugaku turned toward the window, his voice cool and emotionless. "Besides, it won't take long. Now that Haruto is leaving the village on a mission, the Hyuga clan will make their move. Even though we will send escorts, it doesn't mean we have to actually protect him. What we need is evidence—proof that the Hyuga are secretly assassinating Leaf Village shinobi. Haruto is as good as dead."
The thirteen-year-old Uchiha Mikoto pursed her lips, still reluctant but knowing she had no choice.
"Still, we have a problem," Fugaku muttered. "I originally assumed Haruto would only take on a B-rank mission—low-risk, manageable. So, after discussing with my father, we decided to send you along with two of our Jonin. That way, your safety was guaranteed. But now, since he's chosen an A-rank mission… your safety is no longer assured."
"Then swap me out," Mikoto suggested immediately.
"The team list has already been submitted to the Hokage. You know how they restrict our clan. Unlike other families, we need Hokage approval just to leave the village. Modifying the mission roster now will be incredibly difficult."
Fugaku was deeply concerned. Mikoto was only a Chunin. If she took part in an A-rank mission, her survival rate would plummet. That was why he had tried so hard to dissuade Haruto earlier. Not out of concern for Haruto himself—his fate was already sealed—but because Mikoto would be dragged into unnecessary danger.
Fugaku didn't have any personal grudge against Haruto, nor any particular goodwill. Everything he did was for the benefit of the Uchiha clan.
Mikoto's face turned pale. She clenched her fists, seething with resentment.
She despised Haruto even more now.
After leaving the Police Department, Haruto went searching and soon found "March Heaven Casino," the largest gambling house in Konoha. The chubby, shrewd owner, Takaoka Ichio, wasn't there, but it didn't matter—Haruto still collected his full winnings of 2,727,000 ryo. His original bet of 27,000 ryo had multiplied a hundredfold, bringing in an astonishing 2,700,000 ryo in profit.
An hour later, news of his release spread throughout Konoha like wildfire.
Haruto had become the village's most talked-about figure. No longer did he need outside help to fan the flames of his notoriety. His every move was now under scrutiny.
People fiercely debated: Was he truly a prodigy, or was he a fraud? The controversy grew ever more intense.
Back at his lakeside cabin, Haruto began preparing for his mission. He stored away essentials, even the condiments from his kitchen. He felt a small surge of excitement—it was finally time to step beyond the village. The outside world promised both danger and opportunity.
While tidying his bedroom, his obsessive cleanliness flared up. He picked up his blanket and hesitated, nearly throwing the entire bed away.
It smelled like Tsunade.
He couldn't stand it. She had slept here, meaning it was no longer usable.
"Huh?" As he shook out the blanket, something tumbled out.
A green pendant.
Tsunade's pendant.
She must have lost it that night.
Haruto's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Serves you right for running away, you shameless woman. Let's see if you come crawling back for this!"