Chapter 61: The Nara Clan's Goodwill

"What a coincidence to run into you here."

"Indeed, quite a coincidence."

When Yuan saw Kotoba and Shikamaru, he approached them with a smile. Kotoba merely shrugged, neither enthusiastic nor hostile. Yuan was used to her attitude and was more interested in Shikamaru.

In the original story, aside from the main characters like Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi, many side characters were also highly likable. Shikamaru was one of Yuan's favorites. His lazy demeanor hid a sharp mind, making him reliable in crucial moments, much like Jiraiya. This contradiction added to his charm, and Shikamaru's future achievements were impressive: marrying the Kazekage's sister and becoming the head of the administrative department, following in his father's footsteps.

These future possibilities intrigued Yuan, who remembered that Shikamaru was one of the first to acknowledge Naruto's potential. Yuan's interest in Naruto, or rather the Nine-Tails inside him, had been growing.

"What's with that look?" Kotoba noticed Yuan's gaze on Shikamaru and felt puzzled. "Staring at my little brother like that might scare him."

"Sorry, I was lost in thought," Yuan replied with a smile. "Just thinking about something interesting."

"Whatever," Kotoba rolled her eyes and playfully smacked Shikamaru on the head. "Go play by yourself. Honestly, your father is slacking off, making me look after you."

"Okay." Shikamaru rubbed his head, looking annoyed but not daring to voice his complaints. He turned and walked away silently.

Yuan found this amusing and wondered if Shikamaru's future gripes about women being troublesome were due to Kotoba's teasing. He glanced at Kotoba, deciding it was best not to voice this thought. Watching her ruffle Shikamaru's hair brought him a strange satisfaction, as he had long wanted to mess with Shikamaru's pineapple-shaped hairstyle himself.

Interestingly, Kotoba didn't sport the signature pineapple hairstyle of the Nara men. Yuan recalled that Shikamaru's mother also didn't have that hairstyle. Perhaps the iconic look was exclusive to the Nara men?

"What are you thinking about now?" Kotoba snapped Yuan out of his thoughts. "You've been acting strange since we met."

"Strange?" Yuan shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't think I'm that strange."

"Not strange? You've got to be kidding," Kotoba shook her head. She leaned in and whispered seriously, "You're brave to kill someone openly in the village. Are you insane?"

"Those guys attacked me first," Yuan replied quietly, glancing around to ensure no one was eavesdropping.

"I warned you that the village wasn't safe," Kotoba continued in a low voice as they walked. "Do you know who attacked you?"

"Yes, although the Third Hokage labeled them as outsiders, they attacked me because I was seen with Naruto. I believe they wanted to provoke the Uchiha into action. I suspect they were Danzo's men."

Kotoba was momentarily stunned by Yuan's clarity but quickly recovered. "If you knew, why didn't you heed my advice? You're not planning something reckless, are you?"

She stopped walking and looked at Yuan with concern. "If you are, we should stay away from each other. I don't want to get involved in anything dangerous. Think carefully before you act. The Uchiha have reached this point because they've failed. Consider my advice."

Yuan felt both amused and exasperated. He was well aware of the previous failures of the Uchiha leadership, which is why he had taken charge himself. However, he wasn't about to reveal any of his plans just yet.

Kotoba started to walk away, but then she paused, which piqued Yuan's curiosity. He caught up and asked, "What is it? Something else?"

"Just remembered I have a message for you," Kotoba said cautiously, looking around to ensure they weren't overheard. "Someone wanted you to know that the situation in Konoha is tense. Some units are moving secretly, and there are issues within your clan. It's a warning to consider your actions carefully. Everyone in Konoha is affected by this, and hasty actions could be disastrous."

With that, she suddenly smiled and clapped Yuan on the shoulder loudly. "Alright, you're making no sense. Let's talk about it another time. I have to go now."

Without waiting for a reply, Kotoba walked away, leaving Yuan deep in thought.