"Huh?"
Aoba's mind froze for a moment.
'You can even taste that?'
Noticing the strange look in Aoba's eyes, Uchiha Mikoto also felt her cheeks grow slightly warm.
"Because… today Lady Tsunade sprayed some rather expensive perfume to match her status as acting daimyo."
"I… when I was eating, I just felt the scent was a bit familiar. After I calmed down and thought about it carefully, I realized it was kind of similar."
By the time she finished explaining, Uchiha Mikoto's whole face was red enough to drip blood.
After all, admitting that she had carefully tasted the flavor while eating, just saying it out loud already made her feel like she was socially dead.
Aoba would not think she was some strange woman, right?
Aoba also did not expect that his relationship with Tsunade would be exposed in such a strange way this time. For a moment, he did not even know what to think.
Originally, with Kurotsuchi and Konan those two times, it had been intentional on his part. He wanted to gradually reveal his relationship with Tsunade bit by bit.
But this time, it made him laugh and cry at the same time.
Although Uchiha Mikoto was shy now, she still noticed Aoba's slightly unnatural expression and could not help asking again, "So… Aoba, you and Lady Tsunade, is it true?"
"Ahem! It's true."
They were all family. Naturally, Aoba would not hide it.
Shock could not be concealed in Uchiha Mikoto's eyes.
'Lady Tsunade and Aoba?'
You have to know, when she was little, she more or less grew up listening to stories about Tsunade.
And Aoba was someone she had watched grow up, but after the brief shock, she could not help feeling a bit relieved.
Originally, she had been worried that if her relationship with Aoba was exposed, it might make him suffer judgmental looks from others.
With Tsunade standing in front taking the pressure, what she had done did not seem like much anymore.
Unconsciously, she hugged Aoba a little tighter, and there was a bit more ease on her face.
Aoba had no idea what kind of storm had just gone through her mind to cause such a change in expression. Out of consideration for Tsunade, he still reminded her.
"Aunt Mikoto, Sensei doesn't want others to know about our relationship for now. I'll need you to keep it secret."
"Mm, I understand."
Uchiha Mikoto naturally understood. She even felt a sense of mutual sympathy with Tsunade.
"Alright, then I'll tell Aunt Mikoto about the real serious matter."
Seeing that, Aoba brought the topic back to business.
"Huh? Didn't we already finish the serious matter?"
Uchiha Mikoto looked confused. They were not going again, right?
Aoba felt a bit speechless, "I mean real serious business!"
He felt that the once pure Aunt Mikoto had disappeared. Now she was getting more and more dirty minded.
He did not give her a chance to let her imagination run wild again and directly brought up the matter of Uchiha Hikari.
"Uchiha Hikari? The Uchiha clan's war weapon sealed hundreds of years ago?"
Although Uchiha Mikoto was now the clan head of the Uchiha, she had taken the position in a crisis. She truly did not know about this matter.
Perhaps some of the clan's ancient records mentioned it, but that kind of thing was usually not something anyone would bother reading.
"Mm. Although she was sealed for hundreds of years, in essence she's just a girl in her early teens. I've already sealed her power. She'll live in Konoha from now on."
Aoba briefly introduced his arrangements for Uchiha Hikari's future.
"I understand."
Uchiha Mikoto nodded. She knew Aoba wanted to ease the relationship between the Uchiha and the other party.
Or rather, he wanted to ease the relationship between her and that girl.
The moment she heard the other party was a teenage girl, even Uchiha Mikoto had already guessed his purpose.
What a scumbag. But since she was the older one taking advantage of the young, she was the one who benefited anyway.
"After things here settle down, I'll represent the Uchiha clan and go talk to her."
"Mm."
Hearing that, Aoba hugged Uchiha Mikoto and kissed her on the cheek again.
"Of course, just make a simple gesture. If she doesn't appreciate it, Aunt Mikoto, you don't have to care. Compared to her, I don't want you to feel wronged."
"I know."
Uchiha Mikoto gently pinched his cheek in a doting way. Considering what she had just eaten and that she had not brushed her teeth yet, she did not kiss him.
"Alright, lift this jutsu. I've recovered more or less."
"Okay."
That being said, Aoba did not immediately lift it. He first cleaned up the scene thoroughly. Of course, he also carefully cleaned the traces on himself and on Uchiha Mikoto.
Only then did he remove the Sealed Space.
"Aunt Mikoto, sit and rest a bit more. I still have something to take care of later, so I won't stay for dinner."
"Alright."
———
On the other side—
In the Land of Rice Fields, inside an unknown secret underground laboratory, Orochimaru stood in front of a cage that looked like a giant birdcage.
He was lowering his head in thought, half of his face covered in shadow.
His pair of golden snake-like pupils flickered with intense curiosity and contemplation.
"Orochimaru, give up. This cage is a creation of Yin Yang Release. There's no way you can open it."
After saying that, Black Zetsu inside the cage added arrogantly while borrowing someone else's power, "And I'm now a member of Konoha. Lord Aoba said he still has use for me. If you make a move on me, he definitely won't let you off."
"Is that so?"
A villain-like smile appeared on Orochimaru's face at once.
"But if he didn't want me to research you, why would he send you to me?"
Black Zetsu immediately fell silent.
The moment he saw Orochimaru, he had already thought of this possibility.
Aoba definitely wanted to use him for research.
But trapped in this cage, he had no way out.
Right now he could only pray that the other party merely wanted to research his body, rather than take his life directly or seal him away completely.
If that happened, he really would have no hope at all.
Orochimaru studied the cage for quite a while longer before the surrounding space finally rippled again.
Aoba's figure appeared in the laboratory.
"It seems the main character has finally arrived."
Seeing him appear, a trace of a smile surfaced on Orochimaru's face again.
"Lord Aoba! You've come!"
Black Zetsu immediately put on a humble and flattering expression.
Just like a lackey.
Aoba could not help but sigh again that Black Zetsu truly was a filial son. He really knew how to endure humiliation and carry a heavy burden.
"Alright, Black Zetsu, stop pretending. You're at least half a brother of the Sage of Six Paths. Pull yourself together. Don't embarrass yourself."
"What?" ×2
Orochimaru and Black Zetsu both cried out at the same time.
Black Zetsu's face turned even darker in fright. After briefly losing composure, he quickly fawned again.
"Lord Aoba, what are you talking about? I don't understand at all."
"Why are you so scared? I didn't say I was going to kill you."
Aoba gave him a meaningful look.
He was still counting on using him for research.
After all, he was an existence that had lived for nearly a thousand years.
Why kill him? Wouldn't it be better to cut off a bit every day for research?
However, that look took on a completely different meaning in Black Zetsu's eyes.
He thought of everything the other party had done over the years.
If he knew his origins, then he must also know about his mother.
You have to know, his mother had once been the most beautiful goddess in the entire ninja world.
'If this guy is not killing me, could it be that he is coming for my mother?'
For a moment, Black Zetsu's face grew even darker.
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