Just after leaving Kusagakure, the Emotion System's notification sound suddenly rang in Uchiha Kai's ear.
[Collected Uzumaki Sairin's emotions of excitement, joy, relief, and anticipation. Total Emotion Value for this collection: 200 points. Current cumulative Emotion Value: 70,400 points]
[Collected Uzumaki Karin's emotions of happiness, joy, delight, bliss, longing, and infatuation. Total Emotion Value for this collection: 500 points. Current cumulative Emotion Value: 70,900 points]
To be honest, even after a month, Uchiha Kai still hadn't completely figured out the Emotion System.
It wasn't that he hadn't tried to collect emotions from other people, but he had only ever successfully obtained Emotion Value from Kushina.
This was the only time he had received a system prompt from someone other than Kushina.
Although the points obtained on these two occasions weren't many, it brought great encouragement to Uchiha Kai.
After all, if only Kushina could provide Emotion Value, then even if Kushina broke down, Uchiha Kai would never be able to exchange for the high-priced items in the latter part of the Emotion Shop.
Uzumaki Sairin and Uzumaki Karin showed Uchiha Kai more possibilities.
'This system is a bit strange.'
'Could it be that only beautiful women can trigger emotional fluctuations?'
'This is not a proper system!'
Soon, Uchiha Kai and his group arrived at a small town on the border of the Land of Grass, which was close to the Land of Fire.
During this time, Uchiha Kai discovered that the world of Naruto was similar to ancient China's Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.
In the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, war only concerned the nobility; commoners were not qualified to join the army and fight.
It wasn't until the end of the Warring States period that warfare gradually expanded to include ordinary people.
This led to the famous ancient saying: "When the state prospers, the people suffer; when the state falls, the people suffer."
The world of Naruto was similar; wars only existed between the ninja villages.
When the Five Great Nations couldn't reach an agreement, they would have their respective sponsored ninja villages fight it out.
No wars occurred in the world of ordinary people; everyone lived in peace and quiet.
No matter how fierce or heated the battles in the ninja world became, the common people of the Five Great Nations continued to live their original lives.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire also continued his extravagant and debauched life.
The Daimyo even publicly condemned Konoha's constantly rising military expenditures.
Absurd.
The small town Uchiha Kai found didn't have many residents, only about twenty or thirty households.
With so few people, Uchiha Kai could easily use genjutsu to hide the group's tracks.
In the town, Uchiha Kai casually found an uninhabited courtyard and settled down with Sairin and Karin.
The courtyard was quite large, but because it had been uninhabited for a long time, some dilapidated areas needed cleaning.
"Brother, brother, is this going to be my home from now on?"
Karin, acting like a little adult, rolled up her sleeves and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Sairin also wanted to help, but her body had no strength; the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak.
Uchiha Kai and Karin busied themselves inside and outside the house.
"Yes, this will be our home for a while."
Karin smiled happily, shaking her little pigtails.
"With brother and mother here, our family can live happily."
Hearing Karin's voice, Uchiha Kai felt a strange sensation. As if guided by a phantom, he glanced at Sairin, who was sitting quietly under a nearby tree, and an odd thought arose in his mind.
'Did I just become a father before marriage?'
At first glance, the three of them really looked like a family.
Anyway, since there was no news from Orochimaru's side, Uchiha Kai temporarily lived here with Sairin and Karin.
Outside, the Iwa-nin and Konoha-nin were locked in battle.
But the small courtyard was filled with tranquility and harmony.
Uchiha Kai had some savings on hand, so buying food and supplies was no problem.
Besides, for a ninja, hunting in the pristine environment of the Naruto world was simply too easy.
Life was quite comfortable.
Uchiha Kai took this opportunity to eat some game.
Something he couldn't eat in Konoha.
And so, Uchiha Kai stayed here for several days.
...
Konoha.
In a tastefully decorated and quiet restaurant.
Two captivating figures sat facing each other at a corner table.
Kushina looked at the person before her, hesitated for a moment, and finally couldn't help but be the first to ask.
"Mikoto... do you know where Kai is now?"
Uchiha Mikoto looked at Kushina with a face full of astonishment.
To be honest, she hadn't seen Kushina in a while. Kushina's current gentle and quiet demeanor was a huge surprise to Uchiha Mikoto, a world of difference from the Kushina in her memory.
But what shocked Uchiha Mikoto even more were Kushina's words.
"Kai? Could you be talking about my former younger brother, Uchiha Kai?"
"Yes... that's him."
Kushina lowered her head, a little embarrassed, her voice soft and sweet.
Uchiha Mikoto was now even more shocked.
That Kushina would speak in such a tone.
The completely changed Kushina before her made Uchiha Mikoto feel as if she were in a dream.
Kushina didn't pay much attention to this, or rather, she wasn't even aware that such a great change had occurred in her.
At this moment, her heart was filled with thoughts of Uchiha Kai.
Having not seen Uchiha Kai for a long time, she had originally thought he was too embarrassed to see her.
But when Kushina unexpectedly learned that Uchiha Kai had become a subordinate of Orochimaru, she immediately grew flustered.
She didn't know why Uchiha Kai would become Orochimaru's subordinate, but she knew it must be because of her pregnancy.
Having not seen him for so long, she couldn't help but worry about his safety.
As Kushina spoke, she subconsciously stroked her flat stomach.
Kushina and Uchiha Mikoto had a good relationship; they had been close friends for a long time.
A long time ago, she had heard from Uchiha Mikoto that she had a younger brother named Uchiha Kai.
At first, Kushina didn't connect the Uchiha Kai she knew with the one Mikoto spoke of.
But now, unable to find Uchiha Kai, she had no choice but to seek out Uchiha Mikoto.
Kushina thought that even if they were two different people named Uchiha Kai, Uchiha Mikoto was still the wife of the Uchiha clan head, so inquiring about Uchiha Kai's whereabouts shouldn't be a problem!
Lost in her concern, Kushina didn't notice the change in Mikoto's expression.
Nor did she realize what a profound shock her inquiries about Uchiha Kai had delivered to Uchiha Mikoto.
"Mikoto, I know this is troublesome, but I really have no other way to find Uchiha Kai."
Kushina didn't know what was in her heart, but with Kai's whereabouts unknown, she felt exceptionally panicked.
Although Uchiha Mikoto couldn't understand why Kushina would care about Uchiha Kai.
But upon the mention of Uchiha Kai, her own thoughts also drifted to him...
...