Normally, instructors conducted their survival test on the first day and took their newly graduated genin out on missions the second.
Thanks to Asuka's spectacular performance yesterday...
He had the day off.
As for the three members of Team Asuka...
All of them were on sick leave.
Although ninja possessed remarkable vitality, they were still only human.
---
Carrying a bag of fruit, Asuka visited Iruka first.
Iruka's condition was the mildest.
His throat was simply so sore that he couldn't speak.
"Ah... ah... ah..."
Watching Iruka desperately try to tell him something, Asuka set the watermelon on the table before speaking earnestly.
"Iruka, don't strain your voice."
"Get plenty of rest."
"And make sure you eat all the watermelon your teacher brought you."
"Your throat will recover soon."
"Ah..."
Iruka replied hoarsely.
He looked at the enormous watermelon...
Then at his instructor's genuinely concerned expression.
At that moment...
No outsider could possibly understand the complicated emotions in his heart.
...Is it too late to request a different teacher?
"Alright."
"I still have two more students to visit."
"Rest well."
With that, Asuka disappeared in a Body Flicker Technique, reappearing outside the window before heading toward Yūgao Uzuki's house.
---
That girl's probably still suffering from diarrhea...
Feeling a rare pang of guilt, Asuka stopped by a fruit shop and deliberately bought the most expensive fruit they had.
When he arrived at Yūgao's house, freshly washed bedsheets and clothes were hanging in the yard.
He frowned.
...Was it really that bad?
Knock. Knock. Knock.
He knocked on the door.
After quite a while, a weak voice drifted from inside.
"...The door's unlocked."
Hearing that, Asuka opened the door and stepped inside.
Looking around, he nodded approvingly.
The house was spotless.
Far cleaner than his own.
At least there wasn't orange cat fur covering every surface.
That fat cat sheds all year long...
One day I'm shaving it bald.
Standing in the entrance for a moment without seeing anyone, Asuka stood on tiptoe and peeked into the living room.
"Hello?"
"Anyone home?"
"I'm Yūgao's instructor."
"Uchiha Asuka."
"T-Teacher?!"
Yūgao immediately sprang upright from the sofa.
Clutching her stomach, she stared at Asuka in horror.
Why is he here?
...And why is he carrying a durian?
Don't tell me...
He's going to make me eat the rind this time?!
The thought alone made her swallow nervously.
Her eyes immediately filled with tears.
"T-Teacher..."
"W-Why are you here...?"
"Oh."
Asuka had already taken off his shoes and walked inside.
He set the durian on the coffee table before apologizing.
"I'm sorry about yesterday."
"I already had that crooked fish-oil vendor arrested."
"When I heard you were still feeling unwell today..."
"...I bought the most expensive fruit I could find to visit you."
He proudly patted the durian.
"I've never eaten one myself."
"It looks too terrifying."
"It completely kills my appetite."
Looking at the spiky fruit...
The corner of Yūgao's eye twitched.
Not everyone liked durian.
She certainly didn't.
Still...
Seeing Asuka sincerely sitting down and beginning to peel it...
She forced an awkward smile.
"T-Thank you, Teacher."
"But..."
"You really didn't have to buy something this expensive."
"Don't mention it."
Asuka beckoned her over before handing her a piece of peeled durian.
"As your former medical ninja..."
"I've done extensive research on what patients should eat."
"Yūgao."
"You're weak right now."
"This is perfect for you."
"Come on."
"Give it a try."
Looking at the concern written plainly across his face...
Yūgao lowered her head and quietly pressed a hand against her stomach.
"...I-I really don't think that's necessary."
"Do you know the medical ninja regulations established by Lady Tsunade?"
Asuka stood up and slowly walked toward her.
"The first rule states that a medical ninja must never abandon treatment before a teammate dies."
"And..."
"Teammates must unconditionally cooperate with the treatment plan proposed by their medical ninja."
"We're a team now."
"B-But—"
Yūgao frantically waved both hands while backing away.
Before she could finish—
Whoosh!
Asuka suddenly appeared directly in front of her.
What a fast Body Flicker...!
"Mmph—!"
Before she could react, he stuffed the durian into her mouth.
A soft green glow immediately enveloped his hands.
Using one hand to keep her from spitting the fruit out, he placed the other against her stomach while sighing nostalgically.
"Yūgao..."
"Do you know how many people opposed my retirement as a medical ninja?"
"Even Lady Tsunade rushed all the way back from the casino after hearing the news."
"She told me she'd been on a winning streak."
"And because of me..."
"She missed out on winning several million ryō."
"She even wanted me to compensate her."
---
Gardenias...
Is this what a man's scent smells like...?
Every breath Yūgao took filled her lungs with the elegant fragrance of blooming gardenias.
Every exhale carried the scent back out again.
Somehow...
The feeling reminded her of breathing in her father's cigarette smoke.
It made her head spin.
By now...
She couldn't even smell the durian anymore.
Her entire world smelled only of gardenias.
"Hey."
Looking at the flushed girl, Asuka waved a hand in front of her face.
"...It couldn't have tasted that awful, could it?"
"Huh?"
Yūgao blinked blankly.
She had no idea what he was talking about.
"I only covered your mouth because I didn't want you to spit the durian out."
"My finances have taken a serious hit recently."
"I can't bear to see good food wasted."
He looked down at his hand.
"...But why were you licking it?"
His expression immediately became complicated.
...I understand.
This sort of thing happened back when I was in the Academy too.
Those girls obsessed with appearances did all sorts of bizarre things while chasing me.
But now...
I'm your teacher.
Has the Ninja Academy changed?
Or has the ninja world changed?
Even Jiraiya's novels haven't reached this level yet...
"W-Wait!"
Yūgao's face instantly turned crimson.
Grabbing the hem of her shirt with both hands, she hurriedly tried to explain,
"I-I was just eating the durian—"
"I understand."
Asuka patted her shoulder sympathetically.
"When I was in the Ninja Academy..."
"The girls in my class used to secretly replace my lunch with homemade bentos whenever I went to the restroom."
"I was pretty naïve back then."
"I ate whatever they gave me."
"But one day..."
"I accidentally saw one of them cooking."
"And..."
"Her saliva dripped straight into the lunchbox."
"From that day until graduation..."
"I only ate twice a day."
"Breakfast."
"And dinner."
"As for lunch..."
"I survived on sheer willpower."
"Sigh..."
After letting out a long sigh...
Asuka simply jumped out the window and left.
He never imagined that even after becoming a teacher...
Something like this would happen again.
---
"Lord Asuka!"
"The Clan Head is looking for you!"
Still lost in thought, Asuka found his path blocked by a young man wearing a black high-collared shirt and black trousers.
His most distinctive feature was his round, dumpling-like nose.
"...Shisui?"
Recognizing him, Asuka stopped.
Then his eyes shifted to the child standing behind him.
Itachi.
Picking his nose absentmindedly, Asuka asked,
"The clan head's son still wets the bed."
"Why do you enjoy hanging around him so much?"
Itachi's face immediately darkened.
He pulled a kunai from his pouch, casually spun it between his fingers, and answered expressionlessly,
"I'm going to train in the forest with Shisui-nii."
"Hah."
Asuka breathed onto his fist.
Then—
Bang!
He brought it straight down onto Itachi's head.
A huge lump instantly formed.
Itachi's mind went completely blank.
Clutching his head, he squatted on the ground in pain.
A familiar green glow once again illuminated Asuka's hand.
As he healed the swelling, he lectured the boy,
"Has no one taught you this?"
"Outside of training..."
"Missions..."
"Or actual combat..."
"You don't casually draw a kunai."
"You're lucky it was me."
"Anyone else would've confiscated it."
"...Then..."
A cold voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
"...Isn't it a little late to teach him now?"
Asuka froze.
Very slowly...
He turned around.
The first thing he saw was a gently rounded belly.
Above it was a brown apron tied over a loose-fitting dress.
Long black hair flowed down to her waist.
And her face wore a faintly mocking smile.
Uchiha Mikoto.
---
Question.
What should you do after punching a child...
...only to immediately run into his mother?
Option One: Apologize.
Option Two: Refuse to apologize.
Option Three: Beat up the mother too.
After carefully weighing the pros and cons...
Asuka clasped his hands behind his back and spoke with perfect seriousness.
"Lady Mikoto."
"As the future head of the Uchiha Clan..."
"Itachi needs to interact with all kinds of clan members from an early age."
"A clan head raised this way will develop true broad-mindedness."
"When he eventually sits in the Hokage's office..."
"...and looks back upon the Uchiha..."
"...he'll see an entirely different world."
"Itachi is an exceptional child."
"He has the potential to become Hokage."
While Mikoto was still trying to process that speech...
Asuka hurriedly waved Shisui and Itachi away.
Only then did his gaze settle upon Mikoto's slightly rounded abdomen.
Sasuke...
He hasn't even fully formed yet.
The two brothers really were extraordinary geniuses.
Other than their miserable lives...
And bringing terrible luck to the clan...
They were practically perfect.
"...Why are you staring at me like that?"
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable beneath his gaze, Mikoto instinctively covered her stomach with the basket she was carrying.
She frowned.
Ever since her first pregnancy...
Every time Asuka saw her growing belly...
He would sigh.
His eyes would fill with inexplicable worry.
It was almost as though...
She were carrying some terrifying monster.
"Lady Mikoto..."
"I have to admit..."
"Your genes are incredible."
"The sons you give birth to are all geniuses among geniuses."
Speaking with heartfelt admiration, Asuka walked toward the Uchiha Compound.
As he passed her...
He lowered his voice so only the two of them could hear.
"Lady Mikoto..."
"Let's stop after this one."
"The Uchiha Clan can't survive if you keep having a son every three years."
"If the Clan Head dislikes contraception..."
"I can perform a vasectomy."
"I'm very discreet."
"And my vasectomy technique is excellent."
"For the future of the Uchiha..."
"Really."
"Two sons are enough."
"..."
Mikoto's eyes widened in shock.
She stared at Asuka's departing figure in complete disbelief.
How...
How does he know it's a boy?
The doctor had clearly told her the embryo had only just begun developing.
It was still impossible to tell the baby's sex.
So how did he know?
...No.
That wasn't the real issue.
She suddenly remembered something.
Ever since her wedding...
During her first pregnancy...
And now her second...
Every single time Asuka looked at her swollen belly...
His eyes carried unmistakable anxiety.
What...
Exactly has he been worried about all this time?
As one of the Uchiha Clan's greatest prodigies, Mikoto had paid attention to Asuka long before today.
Details she had previously ignored suddenly connected together in her mind.
She was certain now.
He was hiding something.
Although pregnancy had dulled her sharpness somewhat...
She was still a jōnin.
Her instincts remained intact.
Combining everything—
His insistence that she divorce Fugaku.
His strange concern over her pregnancies.
His certainty about her unborn child.
Mikoto slowly lowered her gaze to her stomach.
A pair of eyes...
...that can see the future?