Konoha's Chosen Workhorse

This female teacher is truly unprofessional. It's blatant workplace harassment, yet she calls it a reward. And it's an adult woman harassing a minor… In my past life, that would have been enough to land her in jail. Well, the most important thing is—a kiss on the forehead is supposed to make me blush? Does she think I'm a child? If she has the guts, she should kiss somewhere else.

And also…

"Temple of Nirvana Technique and Body Flicker Technique?"

Uchiha Ying flipped through the ninja scrolls in his hand. Both were basic genjutsu. Was this meant to compensate for his inability to use Sharingan genjutsu? A thoughtful gesture, but he didn't need it. Still, it was the thought that counted, so he carefully put the scrolls away.

"Now, to collect more…"

Ying remembered that Kakashi's and Asuma's teams were also in nearby training grounds, conducting the bell test.

"Logically, there should be ninja shards in these locations, but why aren't there any?"

Could it be that ninja shards only drop from battles witnessed firsthand? Ying meticulously searched the two larger training grounds, but found nothing. This "cheat" had more limitations than he anticipated.

Hmm?

Just as Ying was about to return to the Uchiha District, a purple figure suddenly appeared before him. Wasn't this the female ANBU operative? Why was she here instead of monitoring Naruto?

"The Hokage summons you." The operative spoke in a subdued voice. Yugao Uzuki felt a pang of guilt; her lapse in vigilance had nearly resulted in Ying's death at the hands of Root operatives not long ago.

"Me?"

What did Hiruzen Sarutobi want with him? Ying's first thought was that his deception, using the dream as a pretext, had been discovered. But he quickly dismissed the idea. Even if they realized it was a ruse, they couldn't possibly trace that dream, which had no discernible origin, back to him.

So, what was it about?

With this question in mind, Ying followed the purple-haired operative to the Hokage's office.

---

"He's the Uchiha who… stayed behind with Sasuke?"

Upon entering, Ying saw a white-haired ninja with a black mask, staring at him with a complex expression. Kakashi Hatake?

"That's right. What are your thoughts on him?" Hiruzen, seated in his Hokage chair, also scrutinized the young man.

"I have no objections, but he is still only a genin." Kakashi felt like his entire life had been intertwined with Uchihas: Obito, Itachi, and now Sasuke and Ying. The name "Uchiha" was both a haven and a haunting presence.

"He has great potential. With you and Yamato as his mentors, he'll develop quickly."

"He certainly doesn't possess the same vengeful air as Sasuke." Kakashi withdrew his gaze from Ying, surprised by Hiruzen's assessment. Was this Uchiha Ying even more talented than Sasuke? Compared to Sasuke, burdened by thoughts of revenge, this Uchiha boy seemed much more lighthearted.

Kakashi was unaware that, due to an agreement with Itachi, Hiruzen wouldn't dare recruit Sasuke into the ANBU.

"However, Lord Hokage, if I may be so bold, is there some pressing issue facing the village?" Things had been relatively peaceful recently. Why did the Third Hokage seem so apprehensive? It was reminiscent of the eve of the Third Great Ninja War, over a decade ago… Kakashi was perplexed. Even if the village was experiencing a shortage of capable ninja, it shouldn't be to the point of recruiting genin into the ANBU, as if wartime was imminent.

"It's a matter concerning events outside the village." Hiruzen didn't bother excluding Ying or Yugao, who had just entered behind him. "The intelligence I've received recently suggests… Sunagakure may attack Konoha in the near future."

"What!?" Both Kakashi and Yugao were startled.

"The information hasn't been confirmed, but even so, the ninja world is likely to become turbulent again. Therefore…" Hiruzen shifted his tone, adopting a more authoritative demeanor. "Effective immediately, I will be selecting capable young individuals from the village to join the ANBU. Uchiha Ying!"

"Present."

"From today onward, you are a member of my direct ANBU detail."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

So, it was about joining the ANBU. And he wasn't given a choice in the matter. Ying silently grumbled to himself. But the old man was finally taking action… He wondered how much things would deviate from the original course of events when Sunagakure attacked.

"But, Lord Hokage, what about Kurenai-sensei's team?" Having just become a genin, and a member of Hinata's team no less, Ying felt a twinge of regret about leaving.

"That's not a concern. You are an ANBU trainee. When you don't have special assignments, you will remain in Kurenai's Team 8 as before. When you receive orders, you will report to Kakashi, your new ANBU captain."

"Understood, Lord Hokage."

So, he was working two jobs. And Kakashi was probably also—Team 7's sensei, Konoha's elite jōnin, and ANBU captain. Three jobs for one person. Truly Konoha's chosen workhorse. Ying glanced at Kakashi with a flicker of sympathy.

"Yugao, take him to get settled and brief him on the ANBU regulations."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

A genin promoted directly to ANBU? Yugao's curiosity about this Uchiha boy intensified.

---

"Um… Miss Uzuki? Are ANBU members required to wear masks at all times?" Ying asked tentatively, looking at the female operative who hadn't removed her cat mask.

"No, only during missions." Yugao led Ying to a secluded room within the village and unlocked the door.

"Then, would you mind removing your mask?"

"..." Yugao paused before opening the door.

"Very well." Though her voice was cool, she removed her mask as requested.

"Excellent!" Ying looked at the operative's clear and beautiful face, his expression one of "I knew it."

"What?" Yugao was bewildered.

"Beautiful purple hair, a lovely voice. I was hoping that beneath the mask would be a beautiful woman, and it seems I was correct."

"You…" Am I beautiful? Yugao was momentarily at a loss for words. This boy was quite the charmer. Even though she knew he was deliberately flattering her, she couldn't find it in herself to be annoyed. In fact, she felt a touch of pleasure.

"You're different from the other Uchihas." The compliment had lessened the distance between them, making them feel less like strangers.

"Have you encountered other Uchihas, Miss Uzuki?" Ying asked, delivering a joke that bordered on dark humor.

"I… have." And they were renowned Uchihas at that. She had been Itachi's classmate and a fellow ANBU operative. She not only knew Itachi but also Shisui. However, thinking about their complex history with the Uchiha clan and the boy before her, who had lost all his relatives, Yugao couldn't help but feel a surge of sympathy.

"What were the other Uchihas like?" Ying feigned curiosity.

"The other Uchihas… were rather reserved, rarely interacting with those outside the clan. Even if they smiled at you, you could sense a distinct wall between you." Yugao recalled her impressions of Itachi and Shisui. Then she carefully compared them to the boy before her. "But you are different. You don't seem to be preoccupied with being an Uchiha, and you don't… feign your smiles."

"Are you complimenting me, Miss Uzuki?" Ying hadn't expected Yugao to express her observations so sincerely.

"Yes." Yugao had a reserved personality and spoke frankly. "This room has been assigned to you. You may come here anytime."

"Thank you." So, this room was his accommodation. He'd thought it might be some sort of clandestine meeting place. He'd forgotten to ask earlier if working two jobs meant two salaries. But considering Hiruzen's frugality, having this small room was likely a considerable perk.

"You're welcome. Every ANBU operative has one."

"No, I'm thanking you for saving my life twice."

"That was my duty, and…" Yugao felt she didn't deserve his gratitude, especially considering she had nearly failed him. "In any case, Kakashi-senpai may be busy. If you can't find anyone in the ANBU, you can come to me for assistance. My name is Yugao Uzuki, codename: Yugao."

After handing Ying the key and an ANBU manual, Yugao didn't linger, quickly vanishing amongst the rooftops of Konoha.

"Yugao Uzuki, huh?" It really was her.

However, this kind operative didn't know about an interesting phenomenon of human interaction—those you have helped won't necessarily reciprocate, but those who have helped you are quite likely to do so again. Ying knew this, so when Yugao said, "Follow me," he hadn't hesitated. He knew she was unlikely to harm him. His deliberate displays of friendliness were meant to ensure she would remain on his side should any future difficulties arise.

"And this Hokage's direct ANBU detail…" While it sounded troublesome, it also seemed like a position of influence. The Hokage's will is the ANBU's will, but the ANBU's will isn't necessarily the Hokage's. Sooner or later…

Ying flipped through the ANBU manual while lying on the bed in the quiet room, contemplating his next course of action.

---

"Ying, why have you been returning so late lately?"

"Perhaps my jōnin sensei is simply very diligent." Back at the compound that evening, Ying was immediately questioned by Sasuke. He was concealing the ANBU matter from Sasuke not to adhere to secrecy protocols, but simply to avoid provoking Sasuke's competitive nature and envy. While the ANBU was merely an inconvenience to Ying, for Sasuke and Naruto, currently steeped in the Will of Fire, joining the ANBU would be a tremendous honor.

"You chose a good teacher, then." Recalling a certain white-haired ninja who constantly had them chasing cats and dogs, Sasuke was clearly dissatisfied. He had believed that after becoming a true ninja, he would receive guidance from a jōnin and his strength would rapidly increase through various missions. But the reality was… spending his days on pointless tasks. It was less beneficial than the training he received every night in that strange dream.

Speaking of the strange dream, Sasuke was anticipating it tonight.

"I heard Naruto say you're quite confident about completing that mission tonight?"

"It's about even odds. Naruto's technique has improved considerably under my tutelage." Although the process of instructing him was somewhat embarrassing. Even from Ying's perspective, having lived a past life, Naruto's technique was remarkably powerful. It should prove even more effective against individuals like the Sage of Six Paths and his kin.

"Then let's get some sleep." Anxious, Sasuke quickly returned to his room with his pillow. Although he scoffed at Naruto's unorthodox jutsu, there was no better strategy at the moment. Besides, as long as they could complete the mission and gain power, no sacrifice was too great.

---

[Enter Instance?]

Closing his eyes, Ying quickly arrived at the instance where Kaguya, Hagoromo, and Hamura were facing one another in the air.

"Enter."

After selecting Naruto and Sasuke as his companions, as always, Ying appeared on the familiar hillside. Naruto and Sasuke, who appeared simultaneously, also began their respective tasks with practiced ease.

Manipulated… Shuriken Technique!

Retrieving shuriken and thin wire from his pouch, Sasuke, as if prescient, attacked a small toad that had just emerged. In a matter of moments, he had Gamamaru, the future Great Toad Sage, bound and gagged before he could utter a word.

"Next, we evade their attacks!" More accurately, evading the shockwaves from the attacks of the three celestial beings and the Ten-Tails on the ground.

"Run left, into that ravine, then to the crater on the right…" Through countless "deaths," Ying and Sasuke had thoroughly memorized the attack patterns of Kaguya, the Sage of Six Paths, and the others. As long as they didn't intentionally draw their attention, the locations targeted by the attacks wouldn't change significantly. By remembering the range of each attack, they could stealthily reach the center of the battlefield unnoticed.

Boom!

A Tailed Beast Ball detonated on the mountain behind them. The devastating shockwave caused the three, concealed within the crater, to tremble. Although they had died numerous times in this "dream," they still felt their hearts pound every time they narrowly escaped death.

"Now's our chance, Naruto! Use that jutsu!"

Seeing Hagoromo and Hamura about to unleash their final, combined sealing jutsu on Kaguya, who was temporarily incapacitated after being forced into the mountain, Ying quickly leaped from the crater with Naruto. Then, together with Sasuke, they propelled Naruto into the air.

"Got it! Watch this!" Naruto, ascending towards the Sage of Six Paths and his family, confidently formed the hand seals for the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Multiple… Harem Jutsu!!