Chapter 39: Mito is Back.

Author Note: Nothing of importance, just enjoy the chapter, and if you have any questions, make sure to comment!

And like always, remember if you want to read up to 13-15 chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer

I'm currently updating the novel 2-8 chapters a day in patreeeeon. On chapter 51 so far, though by the end of today it will be chapter 53-55.

Discord invite: https://discord.gg/XHduApz

Enjoy you sexy bastards.

——————————————

[Arata Takeshi - POV.]

I arrived at the Uchiha compound, feeling a mix of exhaustion and relief wash over me. Relief because today's chores—I mean, D-ranked missions—had been completed. As I walked through the compound, the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a soft, warm glow over the entire place.

As I stepped through the gate that led to the main house, the familiar scent of blooming sakura trees from Lady Mikoto's garden greeted me, and I couldn't help but smile. Despite everything, this place felt like home. Maybe it was because I had spent so much time here before everything happened.

"Welcome back, Takeshi," Lady Mikoto called from the kitchen. She was always so warm and welcoming, making the transition to living with the Uchiha much easier. She really went out of her way to make me feel like I was part of the family. "Would you like some food? I made your favorite."

"Thanks, Lady Mikoto," I replied, managing a faint smile. "But I'm not hungry at the moment."

Normally, I would never refuse any kind of food from Lady Mikoto. Not only was she an excellent cook, but I didn't have it in me to make her feel bad about not eating what she cooked with so much effort. That being said, today one of my missions had been... well, eating. A new restaurant was opening up in the Akimichi district, and for some reason, they had hired my team to test all the dishes to see what our thoughts were. And let me tell you, the Akimichi were not ones to serve small samples.

I had never been fuller in my entire life.

"We had a mission in the Akimichi district," I offered as an explanation, and saw understanding dawn in her eyes.

"Say no more," she said, waving me off with a flick of her hand. "I can imagine how that went. Go rest that meal in your room. Believe me, you will need time to process whatever the Akimichi gave you."

I chuckled, offering her a smile before moving to my room, ready to rest for... a week or two. I don't know; I had never had to deal with a case of food coma before.

As I pushed open the door to my room, musing about food comas, I was greeted by an unexpected sight. The princess of the house, Mito, was in my room, exploring. Her tiny hands reached for anything that caught her curiosity. Books, scrolls, and my training gear were all fair game to her.

"Princess, you know you can't come in my room when I'm not here," I called softly, trying not to startle her. She turned around, her big, round eyes lighting up when she saw me.

"Big bwother!" she exclaimed in her almost-toddler voice, a huge grin spreading across her face.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "What are you doing in here, little devil?"

Mito giggled and waddled over to me, her arms outstretched. I picked her up, her small arms wrapping around my neck. "Expworin'," she said, her voice muffled against my shoulder. "A gwood Shinowi knows their suwwoundings!"

"Exploring, huh?" I repeated, carrying her over to my bed and sitting down. "And did you find anything interesting?"

She nodded enthusiastically, pointing to a small wooden kunai on my desk. "Knife!" she declared proudly.

"That's a kunai, little princess," I corrected gently, ruffling her hair. "It's not a toy, okay?"

She pouted, her lower lip sticking out adorably. "Okay, big bwother."

I set her down on my bed, making sure she was comfortable. "How about we read a story instead? Would you like that?"

Mito's eyes lit up again, and she clapped her hands. "Yes! Stowy!"

I reached for one of the storybooks I kept on the shelf for moments like this. Why? Well, this wasn't the first time this adorable little devil had invaded my room, nor would it be the last, that much I knew.

As I started reading, Mito snuggled closer, her little head resting against my arm. Her presence was a comforting distraction, a reminder of the simpler joys in life. Unlike the crying abomination that was her little brother, Sasuke.

That kid had to have super lungs or something... I wonder if his chakra nature is wind. Maybe that would explain his lung capacity.

As I read, I couldn't help but smile at the sight of Mito listening intently. This story was one of her favorites, a tale about a brave ninja who saved his village from a powerful enemy. Mito listened intently, her eyes wide with wonder. Every so often, she would ask a question or point out something in the illustrations, her excitement palpable.

"And then," I read, my voice taking on a dramatic tone, "the brave ninja leapt into the air, his kunai glinting in the sunlight. With a mighty shout, he defeated the enemy and saved the village."

Mito clapped her hands, her face alight with joy. "Big bwother, you like ninja too?"

I smiled, closing the book. "I do, little princess. Being a ninja means protecting the people you care about, just like the hero in the story."

I truly enjoyed being a ninja. I enjoyed the power, the sense of purpose it brought me. What I didn't enjoy was the darkness that came with being a ninja, and I didn't mean having to kill people or the fighting, but the monsters pretending to act in the name of peace.

She looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded seriously. "Mito be ninja too. Like big bwother!"

I chuckled, ruffling her hair again. "I'm sure you'll be an amazing ninja, princess."

And even if she wasn't, I would simply kill anyone that could threaten her.

As I moved to put the book back on the shelf, I noticed the room had grown quiet. Turning back, I saw that Mito had fallen asleep, her tiny form curled up on my bed. Her peaceful expression brought a smile to my face.

Carefully, I picked her up and carried her to her room, making sure she was comfortable, putting her favorite blanket and the shirt she had stolen from me over a year ago over her, before heading back to mine.

————————————————————————————————

[A few hours later.]

After taking a nap of about four hours, I woke up to Itachi knocking at my door. And knowing Itachi, there was only one reason he could be knocking at this time: he wanted to play a little game of Shogi.

Granted, we would normally play earlier during the day, but seeing we had both suffered a case of food coma, well... I suppose our playing times have moved up a bit. And sure, it was getting late, but the night was still young enough for a game of shogi before going to bed, again.

"Ready to lose again, Takeshi?" he asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

Shogi was one of those things I had trouble defeating Itachi at. But I still made it difficult for him to win, so there's that.

I chuckled, taking my seat across from him. "You're getting cocky, Itachi. Maybe it's time I humbled you a bit."

Itachi's smirk widened as he moved the first piece. "We'll see about that."

The game began, our pieces moving swiftly across the board. It was a familiar dance, like most Shogi games we had, each move carefully considered, each strategy meticulously planned. We had played countless games over the duration of our friendship, not always every day. Sometimes we would stop for months at a time, but lately, after moving to his house, it had become somewhat of a nightly ritual, one that I cherished.

As the game progressed, Itachi's jealousy began to surface. "You know, Mito seems to be quite attached to you," he remarked, his tone light but his eyes serious. "She always wants to be around you."

I shrugged, a teasing smile on my face. "What can I say? The little princess knows quality when she sees it."

Itachi rolled his eyes, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "She's my sister, you know. You're stealing my spotlight."

I moved a piece, capturing one of his pieces. "Jealous, Itachi? I didn't think you had it in you."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Not jealous. It's just... she talks about you all the time."

"Can't blame her," I said, a faint smile on my face. "I'm pretty awesome."

The princess had a good eye for magnificent things, what can I say?

Itachi shook his head again, but he couldn't hide the smile. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"That's what makes me so charming," I replied, moving another piece. "It seems I'm about to win."

Itachi glanced at the board, his brow furrowing in concentration. He moved his king, escaping my trap. "Nice try, but not good enough."

We continued playing, the banter between us light and easy. Despite the teasing, I knew Itachi appreciated my bond with Mito. He was always protective of his family, and knowing that Mito was happy and safe with me brought him comfort. That and he considered me a brother, his words not mine, so all and all, he was happy.

As the game neared its end, Itachi made a bold move, capturing one of my key pieces. "I win, again," he declared, a triumphant grin on his face.

I stared at the board, then back at him, feigning shock. "You got lucky."

"Admit it," Itachi said, leaning back in his chair. "I won fair and square."

"Fine, fine," I conceded, raising my hands in mock surrender. "You won this time, that makes us 17 to 9 in your favor. Though I'm still winning in the sparring count, so..."

"You couldn't stop yourself from saying that, could you?" Itachi chuckled, rolling his eyes at me. "I see how it is... you just can't accept defeat gracefully."

"Who says I can't?" I retorted, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth. "I have grace in abundance, Itachi. It's just that losing doesn't quite suit me, that's all."

"Tell that to our sparring count against Shisui," Itachi replied, a playful smile on his face. "Twenty-one to zero, in his favor... was it not?"

I frowned, crossing my arms. "That's just uncalled for."

I would defeat Shisui one day. Maybe not soon, maybe not tomorrow, but one day, I would defeat that smiling overpowered fool of a genius that I both hate and love. It didn't help that Teresa didn't let me use my Yoki to face him.

She said, and I quote, 'I have told you many times, that if you start using Yoki every time you are losing a battle or the opponent happens to be stronger than you, that it will become a crutch in your growth. You need to learn to fight without it, build your body and your mind, then Yoki will make you unstoppable.'

I hate it when she made so much sense.