196-200

*Chapter 196: Konan Was Bullied and Cried*

Aizen sized up the Gedo Statue.

Although it looked somewhat grotesque,

It was truly worthy of being called the shell of the Ten Tails. Even after its chakra had been extracted, it still retained an extraordinary amount of chakra.

Pein continued, “The statue has ten fingers, each corresponding to one of the ten official members, excluding Pakura.”

“Pein on the right thumb, ‘Zero.’ Aizen on the right index finger, ‘Blue.’ Konan on the right middle finger, ‘White.’ Itachi on the right ring finger, ‘Red.’ Zetsu on the right pinky, ‘Black.’”

“Sasori on the left thumb, ‘Jade.’ Hidan on the left index finger, ‘Three.’ Kakuzu on the left middle finger, ‘North.’ Kisame on the left ring finger, ‘South.’ Deidara on the left pinky, ‘Empty.’”

“These are linked to the rings you wear. Next, everyone will need to learn a specific jutsu called the Nine Phantom Dragons Seal.”

Pakura asked with slight surprise, “Do I need to learn it too?”

“Yes, better safe than sorry,” Pein nodded.

He didn’t offer much more explanation.

Even without it, all the rogue ninja present understood.

After all, their future opponents would be the Tailed Beasts, most of which belonged to the Five Great Nations.

Both the Tailed Beasts and the Five Great Nations were formidable adversaries.

Although each member of the Akatsuki was one of the finest shinobi in the ninja world,

There was still the possibility of injuries or losses.

No one knew when one of them might not return.

So it was better to be prepared.

“Let’s begin,” Aizen said, jumping onto the right index finger of the statue first. The other nine Akatsuki members, excluding Pakura, followed suit.

Soon, everyone had learned the jutsu.

Pakura learned it after receiving Aizen’s ring.

After all, the members present were top-tier shinobi, so learning a sealing technique based on the Gedo Statue was relatively easy.

In simple terms, this jutsu gathered the ten strongest shinobi as casters.

It activated the sealing statue with everyone’s consciousness.

Using the statue’s mouth, it would extract and seal the chakra of the Tailed Beasts.

It was possible to perform the jutsu with fewer than ten people, but it would take longer to complete the seal.

Additionally, the casters needed to be powerful to execute the technique, which was one of the main reasons why the Akatsuki followed an elite approach.

“That’s it for today. Let’s go see the view above the clouds.”

As Pein spoke, his Rinnegan glowed, and in an instant, all eleven members, including himself, rose into the air and exited the cave.

They landed at the peak of the valley where Aizen had first joined the Akatsuki.

Surrounded by mist and clouds, with the mountains and eleven figures clad in black robes adorned with red clouds,

They stood among the clouds. Aizen, Pein, and Uchiha Itachi, the three strongest members of the Akatsuki, took center stage as the final lineup of the Akatsuki was revealed.

“In three years, the plan to capture the Tailed Beasts will officially begin.”

“Let the world know pain.”

Pein’s voice rang out as the members dispersed into their teams, each heading toward their assigned mission locations.

Aizen, instead of immediately going on a mission, returned home as usual to check on his wife and child.

Pakura accompanied him, as Konan also needed to return to the tower. The three traveled together but said little along the way.

Because the tower where Pein resided was restricted to only Pein, Konan, and Aizen’s family, Pakura split off to return to her own residence once they entered Amegakure, leaving Aizen and Konan to ascend the tower alone.

As they reached the top, with no one around, Konan finally spoke, “Thanks for dealing with Danzo.”

“Ever since my wife became pregnant with Chika, I thought you’d never speak to me again,” Aizen said with a gentle smile.

Konan narrowed her eyes, frowning at Aizen’s nonchalant expression. “You act so carefree, even though you already have Izumi, yet you still went after Mikoto. I really don’t know how many more women you plan to chase.”

Aizen chuckled lightly and, to Konan’s shock, pulled her slender waist into an embrace.

Startled, Konan pushed at his shoulders, exclaiming, “You jerk, what are you doing?”

Aizen didn’t let go and smiled warmly, “If you marry me, I promise not to pursue any more women.”

At present, Aizen was already in confirmed relationships with Izumi, Lady Mikoto, Lady Tsunade, Teacher Kurenai, and Pakura.

The Mizukage, though not yet fully won over, was essentially committed.

Even young Hinata was bound to be his. She was just too young for now, but he could wait until Shippuden to make his move.

It could be said that nearly every popular female character in Naruto was now part of his “harem.”

If he could add Konan to that list, he could actually consider stopping his pursuit of new women.

Just then, a system notification sounded in Aizen’s mind:

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for activating the system options.]

1. Kiss Konan and receive the method to cultivate Senzu Beans.

2. Force yourself on her in the stairwell, rewarding the complete set of Uzumaki Clan Sealing Techniques.

3. Resist temptation and remain virtuous, rewarding you with god-level culinary skills.

Options can be combined. Please choose.

“Really? The sealing techniques I need the most? What kind of test is this for an elite? Who wouldn’t be tempted by this?”

Aizen licked his lips, just as he was about to make his choice, Konan’s voice came from his arms again.

“Let go of me, or I’ll shout,” Konan said, face flushed as she struggled against Aizen’s surprisingly strong hold. She wanted to use Dance of the Shikigami to turn into paper and escape, but Aizen caught her delicate hand, preventing her from moving.

Hearing her words, Aizen’s mind flashed back to a classic line from a movie he had seen in his previous life, and with a mischievous smile, he echoed it, “Go ahead and shout. Shout all you want—no one will come to save you.”

Seeing Aizen’s beastly expression, Konan began to feel real fear. She knew that unlike Jiraiya, who only peeped, Aizen actually followed through. Mikoto had ended up in Aizen’s bed after putting up half-hearted resistance.

Desperate, Konan resorted to a final warning, “Aizen, if you dare, Pein won’t forgive you.”

“Then he can come find me after. I’ll marry you anyway,” Aizen replied indifferently, leaning in closer.

As he was about to succeed, Konan, in despair, closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Aizen’s interest faded instantly, and he stopped, simply looking at Konan’s sorrowful face. He couldn’t stand seeing a woman cry.

The kiss she expected never came. With tears still on her face, Konan slowly opened her eyes to see Aizen’s mischievous smile.

(End of Chapter)

---

*Chapter 197: Going Home, Meeting Mrs. Mikoto and Chika Izumi Again*

Aizen smiled and said, "Am I really that annoying to you?"

With teary eyes, Konan asked, "Why did you stop?"

She wanted to understand why Aizen had suddenly paused.

*[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for acquiring Divine Cooking Skills.]*

Aizen chuckled and replied, "It's just that I have a soft heart; I can't stand seeing women cry, especially women I like."

Hearing the notification from the system in his mind, Aizen gently released Konan's slender waist. He then reached into his wide cloak, pretending to search for something, and pulled out a delicate little gift box from the system's inventory, smiling. "Here, take this as my apology."

Anyway, Konan, like the Mizukage, was destined to be his woman, so giving this gift a bit early didn't hurt.

Konan was startled. After wiping her tears, her face returned to its usual coldness. She asked indifferently, "What's this?"

"It's something no woman can refuse. Open it and see," Aizen said with a smile.

Skeptical, Konan opened the small gift box, revealing a shiny, pure gold ring.

"You..." Konan's expression darkened as she looked at Aizen. Her face grew colder, and she raised her hand to toss the box back. She had seen this kind of ring before; it was similar to the one Mrs. Mikoto wore on her left ring finger.

"Hold on before you reject it." Aizen gently held her wrist, smiling. "I'm sure you've been curious how Mrs. Mikoto, even after five years, approaching forty, still looks as youthful as ever."

Konan paused, recalling Mikoto’s smooth, fair skin that hadn't aged a day in five years. She hesitated briefly, then nodded slowly.

Aizen kept the true power of the pure gold ring a secret. "This is no ordinary ring; it's a ring that can preserve youth. Although it won't change your physical capabilities, it will keep your appearance as it is at the moment you put it on. In other words, as long as you wear it, you can maintain this beautiful appearance."

With that, Aizen took the ring out of the box and looked at Konan's tear-streaked, delicate face, pretending, "There are only five of these rings. One is for myself, one for Mrs. Mikoto, and two more for Izumi and Chika. I’ll give those to them after they turn twenty, once their growth stops."

"As for this last one, if you don't want it, I'll just give it to Yugao."

Saying that, Aizen placed the ring back in the box, prepared to put it away.

Konan quickly grabbed it. "Not so fast. You just offended me, so this will count as your compensation. If you try anything else, I won’t go easy on you."

Though it couldn't extend her lifespan, what woman wouldn’t want eternal youth?

Unable to resist the lure of staying young, Konan blushed slightly and, acting haughtily, accepted the gift box. She turned and quickly walked up the stairs.

"Wait," Aizen called after her.

"What? Thinking of taking it back?" Konan turned back, gripping the box in her sleeve with a wary look. Her hand was ready for her Paper Dance technique, and her body began to show signs of transforming into paper.

"No, not at all." Aizen shook his head, opening his right hand to reveal the gold ring that had somehow returned to his palm.

"When did you—?" Konan, shocked, opened the box to find it empty.

"Since the beginning," Aizen said, stepping forward and holding her hand. He slid the ring onto her left ring finger as she looked on in disbelief and then gently kissed it. "Perfect fit."

"You jerk!" Seeing Aizen kiss her hand, Konan’s face turned crimson with both embarrassment and anger. She swiftly performed her Paper Dance, turning her hand into several paper shuriken aimed right at Aizen’s face.

Aizen dodged to the side, flashing behind her, and lightly kissed her partially-papered face.

"Sooner or later, I'll make you willingly marry me. Think of this ring as our engagement token. If it’s too obvious on your hand, you can wear it as a necklace. As long as it touches your skin, it will keep you looking young."

Leaving those words, Aizen disappeared down the hallway.

Konan remained standing there, her face flushed as she stomped her foot like an embarrassed girl. "That jerk!"

Not long after Aizen left, a man with spiky orange hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a black robe with red clouds, and with small black rods on his face, burst through the hallway wall on a giant lizard. It was Pain's Animal Path.

"Konan, I heard a commotion here and sensed both your and Aizen’s chakra. Did something happen?" asked Animal Path, expressionless.

Konan’s face flushed. She couldn’t possibly admit that Aizen had just stolen a kiss from her. Hiding her hand with the gold ring in her sleeve, she replied dismissively, "Nothing. That guy was just being mouthy, and I taught him a lesson."

"Well, be careful around him. Aizen’s strong, but he’s even less reliable than Jiraiya-sensei. Try not to be alone with him," Animal Path advised.

The true nature of Aizen was something Animal Path knew all too well.

Still, he doubted Aizen would try anything serious in his presence. The most Aizen would dare was a few words; after all, Pain’s Rinnegan wasn't just for show.

Once Animal Path left, Konan let out a sigh, her mind drifting back to the moment Aizen kissed her. Her face flushed again as she silently vowed to make him pay next time.

On the other side, Aizen arrived at his doorstep.

In Observation Haki mode, he overheard the conversation between Konan and Pain, and a subtle smile appeared on his lips. He whispered, "Come out."

Two shadow clones emerged from the shadows, cloaked with small barriers to mask their presence. This was his backup plan.

If anything dangerous happened, the shadow clones would immediately place his wife and kids in the system's safe storage.

After all, he needed to stay alert, especially if Madara or Black Zetsu ever caused trouble. Not having a plan would be foolish.

With a "poof," the shadow clones dispersed into smoke, leaving behind their memories. Satisfied that nothing was amiss, Aizen smiled as he pushed open the door.

The sight that greeted him was a warm, cozy scene.

Chika was reading a scroll, studying her academy lessons.

Izumi had just returned from training and was in the bath, with the sound of water flowing from the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Mikoto was busy in the kitchen, and the aroma of delicious food filled the dining area.

Seeing her father return, little Chika’s big, bright eyes lit up, and she rushed into Aizen’s arms.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 198: Chika Fujiwara Is a Naive and Romantic Girl*

Chika's appearance was like that of an extravagant Barbie doll, bearing a slight resemblance to her half-sister Chika Natsu, stunning anyone who saw her. Her silky black hair fell gracefully past her shoulders, adorned with blunt bangs and a jet-black bow.

Her deep, dark pupils sparkled like the stars and the moon, set in a smooth, fair face. She wore a cute, pure black dress with white accents on the collar and cuffs, matched with white knee-high socks and flat shoes.

This was the outfit and look Aizen had designed for his daughter, inspired by Chika Fujiwara from a popular anime from his past life.

However, unlike his older daughter Chika Natsu, who had a mischievous streak, Chika Fujiwara was innocent and cheerful.

Although overprotected by Aizen, she grew up in a loving household and had become a gentle-hearted young girl.

“Who’s there?” At the sound of the door opening, Chika instinctively looked up. When she saw who it was, her pupils immediately contracted. “Daddy—”

Without calling out to Mrs. Mikoto in the kitchen or Izumi, who was in the bathroom, Chika leaped into Aizen’s arms. Her small, delicate hands wrapped tightly around his neck, and she buried her rosy face in his shoulder.

Aizen could clearly feel his daughter’s rapid heartbeat. He, too, felt a surge of excitement at seeing her again. He hugged her petite figure and gently patted her head.

Mikoto, busy in the kitchen, paused when she heard the commotion in the living room. She smiled as she watched the father and daughter embrace, a look of fondness and mild exasperation gracing her lovely face.

Ding! Congratulations, Host, on obtaining the method for cultivating Senzu Beans.

“Chika, don’t cry. Daddy’s home now!” With the system’s notification echoing in his mind, Aizen gently stroked Chika’s head and comforted her softly.

“Daddy, did you not want me anymore? Why did you leave for so long this time?” Chika sobbed.

It was no wonder she was so emotional. Ever since she was born, although Aizen often went on missions, he had never been gone for more than a month.

This time, his mission in the Land of Water—hunting down the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, finding Tsunade, and overseeing the Chunin Exams—had taken over two months. Chika had missed her father dearly.

She had asked Mikoto and her aunt Izumi many times, who, in turn, asked Konan. Each time, Konan reassured them that Aizen was fine, but he still hadn’t returned.

Eventually, even Konan hadn’t come back for a long while.

Several times, Chika had wanted her mother and aunt to take her to find him but remembered her father’s instructions. Not wanting to cause him trouble, she distracted herself with studying and training.

“Of course not! How could Daddy ever not want you? It’s all Daddy’s fault for making you worry.” Aizen’s shoulder was already damp with her tears as her small, pale hands clung to his neck, unwilling to let go, as if afraid he might disappear again.

Chika lifted her head, her eyes slightly red as she pouted and said in a babyish voice, “Then, Daddy, you can’t leave me again. If you do go, you have to take me, Mommy, and Aunt Izumi with you.”

“That won’t work, but I promise I’ll come home more often,” Aizen said, wiping her tears while reassuring her.

After a moment, he sat down on the sofa with her in his arms.

Clinging to him, Chika nestled into his chest, her short little arms clutching his red-and-black robe, refusing to let go.

Aizen glanced at Mikoto in the kitchen, who also looked over. Their eyes met, and a playful smirk curled on Aizen’s lips as a mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes.

Mikoto understood his look, and a blush spread across her cheeks as she playfully glared at him before turning back to her cooking with a mix of affection and exasperation.

Aizen smiled and shifted his gaze to Izumi, who was quickening her pace in the bathroom after hearing his voice. A bold idea flashed through his mind.

Taking out the Bumblebee puppet made by Sasori, he smiled at his daughter and said, “Chika... Daddy brought you a gift this time.”

“Really?” Chika’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked at him expectantly.

“Yes, remember the Transformers I told you about? It’s ready now,” Aizen nodded.

“Thank you, Daddy! You’re the best!” Chika said, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek while hugging his neck.

Aizen added with a smile, “This toy requires chakra to play with. You’re still too young to extract chakra, so how’s your Heavenly practice going?”

“No problem! I’ve been working really hard at it.”

Chika took the scroll, cradling it like a treasure, and began boasting about her progress in training while Aizen praised her enthusiastically.

When Aizen suggested she try out her new toy in the living room’s open space, Chika reluctantly left his lap but was soon engrossed with the transforming puppet, playing happily.

Aizen walked into the kitchen and hugged Mikoto from behind. “Honey, I missed you,” he whispered.

Mikoto’s body tensed at the warm breath by her ear. She glanced at Chika, who was playing with her new toy, and at Izumi, who was now getting dressed in the bathroom. Seeing they weren’t paying attention, she sighed with a mix of relief and helplessness. “You spoil Chika too much. You’ll end up making her too spoiled.”

“It’s fine; you’re here to teach her, and I trust you to do a great job.” Aizen’s arms tightened around her, pulling her closer.

Mikoto squirmed slightly, feeling warm and a bit uncomfortable. “Stop it; I still have to cook.”

“Leave that to my shadow clone.” Aizen summoned a clone, then scooped Mikoto up in a bridal carry and disappeared into their room.

By the time Izumi came out of the bathroom, drying her hair and dressed, she saw only Chika playing with the puppet and a shadow clone cooking in the kitchen.

Recognizing the clone, Izumi asked casually, “Where are Aizen and Mikoto?”

The clone merely pointed to Mikoto’s room, where soft, harmonious music soon played.

Izumi’s face turned bright red as she stomped her foot in mild exasperation, puffing her cheeks as she muttered, “That rascal, he hasn’t changed a bit.”

Meanwhile, in the room, a system notification sounded in Aizen’s mind:

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 199: Mrs. Mikoto and Izumi

Inside the room, a system notification echoed in Aizen's mind:

"Congratulations, host, you've triggered a choice."

"1. Mikoto is inside the room, Izumi and Chika are outside; reward: permanent doubling of chakra reserves."

"2. Mikoto and Izumi are inside, Chika is outside; reward: swordsmanship at the level of a grandmaster from the Pirate World."

"3. Mikoto, Izumi, and Chika are all in the room, with Chika nearby; reward: complete mastery of demon magic from the Shinigami World."

"4. Mikoto, Izumi, and Chika are all in the room, with Chika as a participant; reward: Blue Lotus Fire from the Battle Through the Heavens World."

"5. Do nothing; reward: soccer skills honed over two and a half years."

"Please make your choice."

Hearing the options, Aizen’s mouth twitched, pausing his actions. Even he was stunned by these choices, and even the perverse author, Green Pepper, would probably feel that these choices were outrageous.

The first two options were somewhat tolerable; even though they involved some limitations, at least Chika was young enough not to understand the foreign chants. But the third and fourth options—especially the fourth—were beyond him. As for the fifth, it wasn’t even worth considering.

"What's wrong?" Mikoto's voice rang out, breaking Aizen's thoughts. She noticed he had paused and asked curiously.

"Nothing, hehe, just a moment, Mrs. Mikoto." Aizen chuckled and vanished from the room.

The door suddenly opened, catching Mikoto off guard as Izumi glanced inside. Both women blushed, and before they could react, a shadow passed, and the door slammed shut again.

In the living room, Izumi was nowhere to be seen—only the towel she had been drying her hair with was left behind.

Little Chika, hearing the loud sound, looked around in confusion, her innocent face full of questions. "Where did Mom and Aunt Izumi go?"

In the next instant, beautiful music began playing from the room.

*Part Seven: Mikoto and Izumi!*

Several thousand words omitted here.

When Mikoto’s door reopened, it was already 10 p.m.

Aizen, Mikoto, and Izumi had been studying foreign languages in the room for nearly two hours. To maintain the quality of their study session, Aizen had secretly popped a magical bean for energy when he started feeling tired.

By then, Chika had already eaten dinner and fallen asleep in Aizen’s room, watched over by a shadow clone. As Aizen opened the door, the shadow clone vanished.

Izumi, blushing, glared at Aizen as she held a bloodstained sheet and limped back to her room, her clothes disheveled.

In Mikoto's room, now in disarray, Aizen and Mrs. Mikoto were the only ones left. Aizen licked his lips, feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

It had to be said—the magical bean was highly effective. Compared to it, any other "enhancers" seemed trivial. He felt as if he could go for another few rounds easily. Thanks to a prior encounter, he had already gained the knowledge to grow these beans, so he didn’t have to worry about running out in the future.

Today’s intensive "tutoring" session with two at once was likely a one-time thing. After this, Izumi surely wouldn’t allow it again, and neither would Mikoto. Tsunade, Kurenai, and Mei Terumi were also out of the question. Tsunade had already almost destroyed a whole street just for rumors that he’d brought another woman back with him.

As for Kurenai, she wouldn’t destroy the village but would be heartbroken. Knowing he had other women would devastate her, which was worse than Tsunade’s powerful punches. Mei Terumi, on the other hand, was furious with him. If given the chance, she’d probably tie him up and take her anger out on him. Best to steer clear of her for now.

With Mikoto now fully dressed, her beautiful face was filled with resentment, a hint of longing she couldn’t even recognize herself. She sighed, "What am I supposed to say to Izumi now?"

The system notification chimed: "Congratulations, host, you have gained grandmaster swordsmanship."

As the message ended, Aizen's mind filled with swordsmanship knowledge and techniques related to Armament Haki and Observation Haki. His muscles tensed briefly before relaxing again.

"What's the big deal? You’re my wife. It's more fun with everyone together." Aizen’s gaze lingered on Mikoto, eyes full of lingering desire, savoring his newfound power.

“You—” Mikoto hadn’t noticed the change in him but felt unnerved by his gaze. She almost bit her lip in frustration, then recalled someone else. "Wait, who?"

"Who else but Chika?" Aizen's words startled her, and she rushed from the room, her heart racing as she realized her daughter was nowhere in sight.

Aizen sighed, hurried after her, and reassured her, “Relax, Chika’s fine. The shadow clone took care of her dinner, and she’s asleep in my room.”

Guiding her to his room, Aizen gently opened the door. Under the light from the hall, little Chika slept peacefully, a small smile on her face.

Seeing her daughter safe, Mikoto let out a deep sigh of relief but tears filled her eyes, her face shadowed by guilt and sadness.

“What’s wrong?” Aizen asked, concerned.

“I’m not a good mother—not to Sasuke and now even to Chika…” Mikoto quietly closed the door and broke down, paying no mind to Aizen’s state of undress.

*Chapter 200: Stepfather, Mother, and Stepson*

"Uh..." Mrs. Mikoto's train of thought made Aizen's face twitch slightly, rendering him momentarily speechless. But what could he say—it was the mother of his child after all.

Besides, he had indeed gone a bit overboard this time.

Hurriedly, he wiped away Mrs. Mikoto’s tears and comforted her.

Only then did Mrs. Mikoto feel somewhat better. However, she also noticed that Aizen wasn’t wearing any clothes, and a blush quickly swept across her cheeks. She chided him, “Be mindful of appearances. What if Chika sees this?”

“I was just worried you’d misunderstand,” Aizen replied with an awkward smile as he swiftly put on some clothes, opting for a casual home outfit.

He then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and sat down at the dining table. “You must be hungry, right? I already had a shadow clone prepare the meal.”

With that, Aizen picked up a piece of food and offered it to Mrs. Mikoto. “Say ‘ah’.”

“Ah...” Mrs. Mikoto, blushing, opened her mouth to take the bite and then froze in surprise. “How did you make this? It’s amazing!”

“Just whipped it up. On my last mission, I found a restaurant with great food and paid the owner a bit to get the recipes,” Aizen said, inventing an excuse on the spot. He couldn’t exactly tell her that his cooking skills had improved so drastically due to a system enhancement.

Mrs. Mikoto didn’t question it further. After a slight hesitation, her cheeks flushed again, and she said a bit reluctantly, “Izumi hasn’t eaten dinner yet.”

“Do you think calling her out now would make her come?” Aizen said with a knowing smile. Having recently consumed a senzu bean, Aizen wasn’t particularly hungry despite the delicious food, so he only took a few bites before starting to prepare a meal for Izumi.

“You go ahead and eat; I’ll take this to Izumi later.”

“Okay,” Mrs. Mikoto nodded and said nothing more, focusing instead on tasting Aizen’s cooking. Her mind, however, replayed the scene of their recent intense encounter, making her blush from her face down to her neck.

A brief silence fell over the large living room.

Only after Aizen finished preparing the meal for Izumi did he break the quiet atmosphere. “I went back to Konoha on this trip.”

Mrs. Mikoto’s eyes widened, worry immediately filling them. “And Sasuke, is he...?”

“I knew you’d ask that.” Aizen’s face softened into a smile, and he took out an envelope from his system storage. “Don’t worry, he’s fine. Take a look.”

Mrs. Mikoto took the envelope and opened it, her delicate eyebrows knitting together slightly.

“Who’s this blonde girl who looks so much like Chika?” She pointed to a photo inside, suspicion flaring in her eyes. She wondered if Aizen had been involved with another woman and fathered a child with her.

“Uh, I grabbed the wrong one. This is just a picture I took of a girl who looked like Chika when I was traveling,” Aizen’s mouth twitched. He really had picked the wrong envelope. He’d have to label them better next time or risk revealing something embarrassing—like a private photo with Tsunade.

“This isn’t secretly your daughter, is it?” Mrs. Mikoto narrowed her eyes, a dangerous smile playing on her lips.

She knew how insatiable her young husband could be. After all, she’d ended up with him after being half-pushed, half-coerced.

“Of course not,” Aizen denied emphatically, keeping a straight face as he fabricated a story. “Look, this child is about the same age as Chika. During the time you were pregnant, I was always by your side and only sent my shadow clones on missions. How could I have snuck off?”

“That’s true. But please, be more considerate of Izumi’s feelings,” Mrs. Mikoto nodded slightly, finally convinced. It was true—during her pregnancy, Aizen had stayed by her side, tending to her with great care.

Even if he had the motive, he hadn’t had the time or opportunity.

It was partly for that reason that she had gradually come to accept this younger man.

Of course, if she knew that Aizen had fathered a child with Tsunade before her, she might not be thinking that way.

Aizen cleared his throat nervously, putting away the photo of Chika and Tsunade’s daughter. He then pulled out another envelope from his system storage and, after confirming it was correct, handed it to Mrs. Mikoto. “Alright, stop overthinking. Here’s the latest on Sasuke.”

At that, Mrs. Mikoto’s attention shifted immediately. She opened the envelope and looked at the photos of Sasuke inside, unable to hide the sadness in her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“See, Sasuke is doing well. You should be happy,” Aizen said softly as he gently wiped her tears.

“Mm.” Mrs. Mikoto’s eyes were red, but she managed a bittersweet smile. “It seems Sasuke has really grown up. Did you meet him?”

“Yes, but he’s as grumpy as ever,” Aizen nodded, not elaborating on the details. “Do you want to see him?”

Mrs. Mikoto nodded at first, then shook her head, a look of melancholy crossing her face again. “As long as he’s safe, that’s enough. If we meet now, he’ll surely ask me about the Uchiha massacre, and I don’t want to lie to him.”

“Then wait for the right moment I mentioned,” Aizen said, taking out a photo of an older Sasuke. “Take a look at this.”

Just as Sasuke had recognized his older self, so did Mrs. Mikoto.

“Is this... Sasuke?” she asked, slightly unsure.

Aizen nodded. “Yes, this is Sasuke as an adult, from a parallel world where the Uchiha clan was truly wiped out, leaving only him.”

Mrs. Mikoto felt a pang of sorrow. “That poor child must have suffered. Where is he now?”

“They stumbled into this world by accident. Not wanting to interfere too much, they returned to their own. But don’t worry about him—he’s married in that world, and like us, he has a lovely daughter.”

“That’s a relief,” Mrs. Mikoto’s face lit up with a look of peace. She glanced at Aizen, holding the photos of Sasuke tightly, and hesitated before asking, “Can I keep these?”

“Of course. They’re yours,” Aizen said, understanding her expression perfectly. He added with a grin, “After all, Sasuke is my stepson. I’m not the type to be jealous of my own kid.”

“Thank you.” A warm feeling spread through Mrs. Mikoto’s heart. Without thinking much of Aizen’s playful comment, she pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek and leaned into his arms.

(End of Chapter)