After hearing about Shizune, Nohara Rin found herself distracted while training alongside Uchiha Yuzuru.
She tried hard to rein herself in, but her thoughts kept wandering on their own.
Especially when Uchiha was guiding her in taijutsu.
She had never thought much of it before, but now, every inadvertent touch felt like an electric shock, making her body tremble uncontrollably.
"Let's take a break."
Seeing Rin lose focus once again, Yuzuru halted the session. He looked at her with concern and asked, "Rin, has something happened lately? You've been distracted this whole time."
Rin quickly shook her head. "Lord Yuzuru, I'm fine."
"Then why do you keep spacing out? Your movements have been off too."
"That's…"
Staring at the face in front of her—one that could easily captivate countless girls—Rin finally gathered her courage. "Lord Yuzuru, I want to ask you something."
Uchiha paused. "What is it?"
"Do you… do you… have feelings for me?"
"Huh?"
Seeing Rin lower her head and nervously twist the hem of her clothes, Uchiha froze on the spot.
He did have some thoughts about Rin, but he hadn't expected her to suddenly ask something like this.
"Rin, why are you suddenly concerned about this?"
She didn't dare lift her head and only spoke softly. "Because I heard some things from Shizune."
"She's also Lady Tsunade's disciple, and now she's already your wife. That means neither you nor Lady Tsunade really mind this sort of thing."
"So I was thinking… if I could be like Shizune too, would that count as repaying your kindness?"
At her words, a faint smile appeared on Uchiha's face. He said gently, "I'm not someone who helps others just to seek repayment, so you don't need to worry about that."
"But asking me to reject you would go against my own heart."
"Rin, from now on, I'll take good care of you."
Hearing his answer, the weight in Rin's chest finally eased.
She stepped forward carefully and wrapped her arms around him.
"Thank you, Lord Yuzuru…"
Listening to the soft murmur in his arms, Yuzuru couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
If you've never been a man with looks, money, and power, you simply can't imagine just how proactive women can be.
After a moment of silence, he asked curiously, "Rin, Shizune even told you things like this. What do you usually talk about?"
Rin froze, her expression turning awkward.
Seeing her like that only made Yuzuru more curious. "Rin, don't just stay quiet."
She bit her lip, her eyes already brimming with springtime emotion.
Rising onto her toes, she leaned close to his ear.
When he heard what she whispered, his eyes widened abruptly.
When women become lustful, there's really no room left for men. The things Rin and Shizune talked about were enough to make even him feel embarrassed.
Seeing her face flushed bright red, Yuzuru simply pulled her into his arms.
"Knowledge gained from books always feels shallow. To truly understand, one must practice."
"Rin, combining theory with practice is the right path. I'll take you to experience it firsthand—so you won't be left unable to join the conversation when Shizune starts talking so boldly."
As his words fell, the two vanished from where they stood.
————
————
As evening approached, Rin was carrying out her routine training at the training ground.
Ever since becoming Yuzuru's woman, he had taken her to Orochimaru to have White Zetsu cells transplanted into her body, bringing about earth-shaking changes.
Techniques that had once been extremely difficult for her—Monstrous Strength, Yin Seal, and the Strength of a Hundred Technique—were now all within her grasp. She could even wield some of the power of the Wood Release bloodline.
In just a single month, her strength had undergone a qualitative leap.
"Hah…"
As Rin exhaled a breath of turbid air, the diamond-shaped mark on her forehead grew a little brighter.
Glancing at the time, she saw that it was already late.
Just as she was about to leave, she noticed someone walking into the training ground with a troubled expression.
"Kurenai?"
Rin greeted her first, and only then did Yūhi realize that Rin was there as well.
"Rin, long time no see."
"I heard you've become a household-name doctor at the Konoha Hospital. Congratulations."
Rin smiled at her words. "It's just empty fame. But why are you coming to the training ground so late?"
Kurenai sighed softly. "I wasn't in a great mood, so I came to work it off."
"Since you're here too, how about we spar?"
Rin was on good terms with her. After a moment's thought, she nodded. "All right."
She took out a kunai and held it in her hand.
Kurenai, meanwhile, produced several shuriken and threw them toward Rin.
Immediately after, she also drew a kunai and rushed in close.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
…
Their kunai collided again and again, sparks bursting in the darkness.
But in just a short while, Kurenai found herself completely suppressed.
"How can this be…"
Just a few months ago, the two of them had sparred often as companions.
Aside from her skill in medical ninjutsu, Rin had been fairly average in all other areas.
In their usual matches, Rin was almost always the one who lost.
Yet now, she was actually overwhelming her.
The moment her focus slipped, a blue chakra blade suddenly appeared in Rin's hand.
Clang!
With a single strike, the refined steel kunai in Kurenai's hand was cut cleanly in half.
"Chakra Scalpel!"
She recognized the technique instantly and cried out in shock.
This was an A-rank ninjutsu, capable of extending chakra blades of varying lengths and sizes from the hand—extremely hard to guard against in real combat.
Rin had even mastered something like this?
Thinking that, Kurenai quickly pulled back, her hands forming seals.
"Genjutsu: Deadly Lotus Bloom!"
But Rin wasn't about to give her the chance. Lowering her head, she rushed straight in front of her.
"Body Flicker Derangement!"
Kurenai only felt Rin tap her body a few times before she immediately collapsed to the ground.
"What's going on?!"
She tried to stand, only to find her body completely out of control.
When she wanted to move her left hand, her right leg responded. When she tried to move her right leg, her right arm moved instead…
Before she could even understand what had happened, Rin was already standing before her.
"Kurenai, you've lost."