Chapter 22: Kisaragi, will you mary me?

Kisaragi's mansion: specially dressed, Uchiha Mikoto arrived there. It was said that after breaking off her engagement, Mikoto no longer needed to obey Uchiha Fugaku, as he had no authority to order her. However, due to her own inner thoughts, she still came.

Standing in front of the closed door, she raised her hand to knock but hesitated, pulling it back, looking conflicted as she stood there.

"Don't worry, come in."

The door suddenly opened, and Kisaragi's voice came from inside the room.

"You knew I was coming?" Mikoto asked as she walked into the room and saw Kisaragi waiting for her.

Uchiha Mikoto wasn't naive. Reflecting on Uchiha Fugaku's actions, she suspected that there was something going on between him and Kisaragi—likely a consensus they had reached. Mikoto felt deeply wronged, as if she had become nothing more than a bargaining chip.

"Not bad, you even dressed up for me," Kisaragi commented, looking Mikoto over from head to toe. She was dressed in a pure white kimono, her long black hair flowing behind her, with her delicate and beautiful face particularly striking.

Mikoto's figure, concealed by the conservative attire, couldn't be fully appreciated from the outside, but having seen her before, Kisaragi knew her figure was perfect.

Mikoto felt uncomfortable under Kisaragi's unapologetic gaze as it swept over her body. Without hesitation, Kisaragi pulled Mikoto into the room. What happened next was obvious, and anyone could guess what transpired.

The next day, Kisaragi woke up from a rare long sleep. Uchiha Mikoto lay in his arms, her eyes open, looking exhausted and conflicted.

"You're awake?" Kisaragi asked.

"Yes," Mikoto nodded softly, wanting to speak but unsure what to say.

"Go ahead, say what you want. I'm not going to stop you from speaking your mind."

"I've broken off with Uchiha Fugaku. Can... can you marry me?" Mikoto asked, her voice filled with nervousness.

Her request wasn't made out of love for Kisaragi. Mikoto was traditional at heart, and given her circumstances, she felt she had no other option but to be with Kisaragi. This was why she had come to him, not because of anything Uchiha Fugaku had said. After all, she was no longer engaged to Fugaku, so his words held no sway over her.

"Marry you?" Kisaragi laughed, "What do you think?"

Hearing his rhetorical question, Mikoto's face turned pale. Even if she wanted to marry Kisaragi, there was no guarantee he would accept. After all, with Kisaragi's appearance and power, he could have any woman he wanted. Mikoto had no confidence that she could make him fall in love with her.

"If you want me to marry you, you'll need more than just your looks. Your strength is lacking," Kisaragi said, lifting her chin playfully.

Male ninjas were generally stronger than female ninjas, not because there were no strong women, but because they were fewer in number. Mikoto's strength was not weak—she had activated her Three Tomoe Sharingan and was a Jonin-level ninja, making her quite formidable among women. But to Kisaragi, it wasn't enough. The main reason he had taken her from Uchiha Fugaku was for personal gain.

"Then if I get stronger, will you marry me?" Mikoto asked, her eyes filled with hope.

Ever since she had been forced to give up the most important thing as a woman to Kisaragi, she felt lost. Marrying Kisaragi seemed like the only goal she had left.

"I'll give you a chance," Kisaragi smirked. "I'll give you a task. If you complete it, I'll consider marrying you."

Mikoto hesitated for a moment before asking, "What task?"

Kisaragi leaned in closer and whispered his plan in her ear, his breath warm against her skin. Mikoto's face flushed, not just from the proximity but also from the nature of his plan. It was a devious plot that made her feel guilty. For the first time, she realized she could be so wicked.

If the plan worked, Uchiha Fugaku's dreams of becoming clan leader would be shattered, and his reputation would be ruined beyond repair.

[Ding! Host violated the agreement and broke his promise, gaining: Water Style · Water Dragon Bomb Technique, evil value +10,000.]

Kisaragi had previously promised Uchiha Fugaku that if he handed Mikoto over, Kisaragi would give up his bid for the clan leadership and support Fugaku's claim. But Kisaragi's word meant little; it was simply a lie to deceive Fugaku.

Fugaku had likely suspected that Kisaragi was lying, but for the chance to fulfill his dream of becoming clan leader, Fugaku had decided to gamble. He thought he had nothing to lose—but he was wrong.

"Do you agree to my terms?" Kisaragi asked.

Mikoto nodded. Any guilt she once had for Fugaku had vanished, especially now that they were no longer engaged. If she had to deceive him for Kisaragi's plan, she didn't mind. She felt used by Fugaku anyway, knowing that he had treated her like a mere commodity in their engagement.

"Very good. Here's your reward," Kisaragi said, pulling Mikoto in for a kiss.

Uchiha Mikoto didn't respond.

Later, after Kisaragi got dressed, Mikoto—fully embracing her new role—gently helped him with his clothes, her demeanor now that of a devoted wife.

She was perfect wife material, Kisaragi thought. Perhaps marrying her wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

"I wonder if Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke will still be born in the future," Kisaragi mused to himself.

It would be better if Uchiha Itachi were never born. Kisaragi had no use for the dutiful, overly loyal son. However, Sasuke might still be born, as he was the reincarnation of Indra's chakra.

"There's no reward from Mikoto this time," Kisaragi thought, feeling a bit of regret as he left the house. But at least he had managed to swindle Uchiha Fugaku.

Leaving the Uchiha clan, Kisaragi headed straight to the Konoha Police. He hadn't shown up there the previous day and wondered if there had been any problems in his absence.

This was partly intentional—he wanted to test the competence of Uchiha Shin and see if his subordinates could manage without him.