Chapter 20: Qualifications to Become a Brother's Wife
"Why are you so scared? I'm not some rogue ninja, I won't do anything to you." Chinatsu smiled gently and reached out to pat their heads. Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino froze for a moment, but her calm demeanor slowly eased their tension.
"R-really… you won't do anything to us…?"
"Of course. Besides, how could I possibly do anything to two Academy students? I'm not that kind of person." Chinatsu placed a hand on her hip with a light snort.
Let me make this clear first—I, Chinatsu, have absolutely no strange preferences.
Although no one had actually asked, she felt it necessary to mentally clarify it in advance.
Hearing her answer, the two girls instinctively relaxed, their shoulders dropping in relief. After calming herself, Sakura gathered her courage, clenched her fists slightly, and asked the question that mattered most.
"Excuse me! What… what is your relationship with Sasuke-kun?!"
"Sister," Sasuke's voice came from behind, flat and direct. "What else would it be?"
"Ah… sister… right…!"
Both Sakura and Ino froze for a second, then their faces flushed bright red.
The Uchiha clan massacre—carried out by Uchiha Itachi—had left Sasuke as the sole survivor in the eyes of the village, with Chinatsu as his only remaining family. This was common knowledge in Konoha, yet in that moment, they had completely forgotten.
So that's it…!
This beautiful woman… is Sasuke-kun's older sister!
In an instant, the tension in their hearts completely disappeared. It was as if a heavy stone had been lifted.
Just then, Chinatsu's hand once again rested lightly on their heads.
"You two… like my little brother, don't you?"
"W-what?!"
Both girls' faces turned completely red.
Even though they were already at the age where such feelings began to form, being exposed so directly shattered all their composure.
"Hehe, you can't hide it from me," Chinatsu said with a teasing smile. "But secretly following him like this isn't a good habit. If you really like Sasuke and want him to notice you… then you should focus on improving yourselves."
As she spoke, she leaned slightly closer, lowering her voice like a whisper carried on the wind.
"Sasuke prefers strong people. At the very least… someone who can keep up with him. If you don't have that level of strength, you won't even be considered."
The moment those words landed—
If they had ears like cats, they would have perked straight up.
"R-really?! Sasuke-kun likes that kind of person?!"
"Of course," Chinatsu replied smoothly. "Why would I lie to you?"
Rather than being discouraged, the two girls' eyes lit up with determination.
[If we become stronger… we might stand beside Sasuke in the future!]
"Thank you, Chinatsu-senpai! We'll work hard!"
The two bowed repeatedly, then ran off excitedly, their earlier fear completely gone.
Chinatsu waved at them with a faint smile.
Then, internally—
At least keep up with Sasuke…?
If they could really do that, then by all means.
After all, Sasuke's future opponents would include monsters like Uchiha Itachi and even Uchiha Madara…
Not to mention the level beyond that—
Six Paths.
Chinatsu let out a quiet breath.
If one were to roughly classify strength levels in the shinobi world, it might look something like this:
Genin — basic-level shinobi; most are inexperienced and rely heavily on teamwork.
Chūnin — capable of leading small squads, with solid combat fundamentals.
Jōnin — elite shinobi of a village, proficient in multiple combat styles and tactics.
Kage — the strongest in a village, possessing overwhelming ability and leadership.
Above Kage — individuals who can surpass standard Kage-level combat power, such as peak prodigies or special cases.
Six Paths level — the realm of the Sage of Six Paths, where one possesses power that transcends normal shinobi limits, capable of influencing the entire battlefield alone.
At that level, ordinary shinobi could hardly even intervene.
Six Paths…
Even as someone with knowledge of the future, Chinatsu wasn't confident she could reach that realm.
She quickly shook off the thought and refocused.
Just then, Sasuke and Naruto walked over.
"Sister," Sasuke said seriously, "I noticed them at first, but my perception wasn't precise enough to confirm their positions."
Chinatsu nodded.
"I know. But your counter-surveillance still needs improvement. Do you understand?"
"Yes! I'll train harder!" Sasuke replied immediately, his tone firm.
Naruto, standing beside him, clenched his fists.
"M-me too! I'll get stronger as well!"
Looking at their determined expressions, Chinatsu smiled faintly.
"Good. Then let's head inside. Today's special training is about to begin."
The three entered the Uchiha residence.
Before starting, Chinatsu took out several small sheets of special paper she had purchased earlier from a ninja tool shop.
"These are chakra papers," she explained. "By channeling chakra into them, the reaction will reveal your elemental affinity."
In the shinobi world, most ninja are born with one primary chakra nature—Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, or Water. Some rare individuals can naturally possess multiple affinities, while others may learn additional ones later through training.
Chinatsu handed one sheet each to Sasuke and Naruto.
She already knew the results.
As an Uchiha, Sasuke naturally possessed Fire Release, and in the future he would also develop Lightning Release.
Naruto, on the other hand, had a natural affinity for Wind Release—though at this stage, his chakra control was still too rough to demonstrate it clearly.
Still, the test had to be done.
After all, she couldn't just reveal everything without explanation.
Keep a low profile…
With that thought, Chinatsu also picked up a sheet for herself.
If I remember correctly, this body should have Fire and Lightning… possibly Wind as well…
She casually infused chakra into the paper—
And then—
"…What?"
Chinatsu's pupils shrank.
The chakra paper in her hand began to change—
But not in the way Fire would burn, Lightning would wrinkle, or Wind would split it.
The transformation was completely unfamiliar.
Something she had never seen in the original series.
"This… what is this…?"