Naruto:The System's Shadow

"Ugh... where is this? Water... water..." Kaito weakly attempted to open his eyes, murmuring incoherently.

"Ah, Lord Kaito, you're awake! Just a moment, I'll fetch you some water."

In the haze, Kaito heard a concerned voice beside him, a soft, clear tone that was rather pleasant.

Soon, he felt himself being gently raised, cradled in a petite embrace. A faint scent of cherry blossoms wafted into his nostrils, putting his mind at ease.

A cup of fresh water was brought to his lips. Kaito, heedless of who was tending to him, eagerly gulped it down. After draining the cup in two mouthfuls, his throat finally felt somewhat better.

"I'll get you another cup, Lord Kaito."

Kaito felt himself being gently lowered. The person behind him scurried away, returning shortly with another cup of water. This was repeated three times before they stopped.

Lying back down, he carefully assessed his physical condition. The stab wound near his heart had been bandaged, and all his wounds, large and small, had been treated. The minor cuts had already scabbed over, indicating that medical ninjutsu had been used.

In the final moments of his battle with the Hyuga jonin, Kaito had chosen a desperate gamble. He had forced his body to shift slightly just before the fatal blow, causing the sword to narrowly miss his heart. Only then had he been able to use the Rasengan to eliminate his opponent. Had he hesitated or made even a single misstep, Kaito likely would not have survived.

In a daze, he felt a pair of cool, small hands massaging his temples, moving gently as if afraid to wake him.

After a while, Kaito slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a delicate face with refined features and long, silky hair that carried a faint scent of cherry blossoms. Her small hands were massaging his head with great care. She appeared to be around his age, wearing a pink kimono that evoked a sense of tranquility.

"Who are you?" Kaito asked, bewildered. His voice was so hoarse that he startled himself.

Seeing Kaito awake, the girl's eyes lit up with obvious joy. She swiftly placed his head back on the pillow and knelt formally beside him, saying, "Lord Kaito, my name is Chiya Hotaru. I am a maid sent by the clan head."

"A maid?" Kaito turned his head, scrutinizing her carefully. He observed her closely until a rosy blush crept onto her cheeks, and she quietly lowered her head. Only then did he avert his gaze.

"Not bad. It's good to have you around. Has Uncle returned?" Kaito said softly. Although she was young, he could see that she possessed the makings of a beauty. She would likely grow into a lovely woman. Having her serve him as a maid was not a bad arrangement. Most people would not refuse being waited on.

Chiya Hotaru's face brightened as she replied, "Yes, Lord Clan Head returned yesterday."

Kaito nodded slightly, continuing, "How many days have I been unconscious?"

"Including today, Lord Kaito has been unconscious for three days."

"What about Uchiha Madara? How is he?"

"Lord Madara's injuries were slightly less severe than yours. He is recovering in his own room and is out of danger."

A hint of a smile played on Kaito's lips. He subtly noticed that Hotaru addressed Madara as "Lord Madara" while referring to him as "Lord Kaito." This indicated that she considered his status to be higher than Madara's.

"Since Uncle has returned, what is the situation on the battlefield?" Kaito pondered for a moment before asking.

"This servant does not know. We maids are not privy to information about the battlefield."

Kaito nodded and proceeded to ask her a few more questions, but she was largely ignorant of matters concerning the clan's shinobi.

Kaito could guess the reason behind his uncle's sudden decision to assign him a maid. News of his awakening the three-tomoe Sharingan and overpowering a jonin must have reached his uncle's ears. Giving him a maid was a recognition of his strength and status.

Implicitly, he was no longer viewed as a member of the next generation in need of protection, but as an Uchiha shinobi capable of standing on his own. There was also a possibility that once he recovered, he would be sent on missions as a shinobi. Of course, he might also be sent to the battlefield, but Kaito believed that was unlikely. He was still too young, and the battlefield was too dangerous. Considering the extent of his demonstrated talent, unless his uncle was truly foolish or the Uchiha were facing an existential crisis, he would likely avoid sending him to such a perilous place.

After considering these possibilities, Kaito began to inquire about his little maid's personal background, asking:

"Hotaru, how old are you?"

"Six years old."

"Oh, you're a year older than me. I couldn't tell. What about your parents?"

"I don't know. I've never met them. As far as I can remember, I lived among a group of refugees, struggling to find food every day. When I was three years old, I developed a high fever and fell unconscious. They abandoned me, but fortunately, I was found by a ninja from the clan and have lived here ever since, being raised as a maid."

Chiya Hotaru spoke calmly, her tone devoid of any emotion, as if she were talking about someone else.

Kaito frowned, wanting to say something, but ultimately holding back. This was the Warring States Period, and such occurrences were commonplace. Ruthless bandits roamed the countryside, the great powers were constantly at war, and the ninja clans were in disarray. Countless people starved to death every day. Vast stretches of land were left barren—Chiya Hotaru was fortunate to have been found by the Uchiha clan.

The Uchiha clan had many such individuals, both men and women. The men were used to till the land and grow crops to support the Uchiha clan. After all, one could not expect a group of killers to farm.

The women were given light tasks, such as weaving and sewing. Some of the more beautiful ones would be taken as wives by the shinobi. Since the Uchiha clan's bloodline could be inherited by the next generation as long as the male was an Uchiha, there were no requirements for the female. Of course, whether or not they could awaken the Sharingan was another matter.

"Hotaru, give me a head massage."

"Yes!" Hotaru promptly stood up, gently lifting Kaito's head and placing it on her lap. Her small hands softly massaged his head.

"Hotaru, you said you didn't know who your parents were. Why do you have the surname Chiya?" Kaito asked casually, his eyes closed.

Chiya Hotaru's hands paused for a moment before she nonchalantly replied, "Chiya is the surname of the person who adopted me before. I have no parents, so naturally, I follow his surname."

"Where is he now?"

"He was the first to abandon me when I got a high fever at the age of three!"

Although Chiya Hotaru's tone was calm, Kaito could clearly feel her grip tightening on his head. He chuckled softly, "Is that so? How about you take my surname, Uchiha?"

Chiya Hotaru's hands stiffened, and she forced a smile, "Lord Kaito, you're joking."

This time, Kaito looked intently into her eyes, saying, "I'm serious."

Chiya Hotaru fell silent, but Kaito could clearly feel that her touch was now much lighter, making him feel exceptionally comfortable.