Chapter 114: Beyond Expectations

Sara is lost?

Uchiha Li was completely stunned upon hearing Fugaku’s reply. To ensure Sara’s safety, he had explicitly instructed a member of the Uchiha Police Force to bring her directly to the headquarters. Given the current state of security in the village, how could she have possibly gone missing? It felt both incredible and absurd to him.

Rubbing his chin, Li asked, "Did none of our people bring a young girl here just now?" He struggled to accept the situation.

Uchiha Fugaku shook his head and replied, "I have been in my office the entire time; if someone had arrived, I certainly would not have missed it." After a brief pause, he added, "However, while no one came here, it is hard to say regarding other places."

"What do you mean?" Li was puzzled.

Fugaku suddenly revealed a meaningful smile. "I generally don't handle the day-to-day specifics anymore, so it isn't me you should be looking for, but Uchiha Yao."

"..."

Hearing this, Li’s heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding washed over him. He had never expected a situation like this. Had he known, he would have never sent Sara to the Police Force; he should have just taken her to the Hokage’s office. He had intended to go home and explain the situation to Yao slowly, but now, he feared it might already be too late.

With no heart left to linger in Fugaku’s office, Li hurriedly said, "Clan Leader, I must take my leave."

Watching Li’s hasty departure, Fugaku reminded him, "Don't forget about Itachi!"

Li waved his hand, his figure vanishing in an instant.

...

A short while later, Li arrived at Yao’s office. Seeing the light shining from within, he hesitated at the door. He hadn't actually done anything wrong, yet he felt as though something terrible might happen if he walked in. Still, knowing that some things must eventually be faced, he steeled himself and stepped inside.

"Yao, have you seen—" Li began, his gaze sweeping the room as he spoke.

He had expected to find a scene of carnage, but what he saw made his words trail off. Yao was sitting on the office sofa with Sara, the two of them chatting and laughing like old friends, clearly enjoying each other's company. By comparison, Li, with his hurried expression, looked like the one ruining the pleasant atmosphere.

Uchiha Yao looked at Li, her face wearing its usual gentle smile. "What’s wrong, Li?"

Li shook his head, forcing a smile. "Nothing, I just returned and thought I’d check on you, and mention something regarding Sara." He paused briefly before continuing, "But seeing how well you two are getting along, I suppose there's no need for me to say anything."

Finding that Yao and Sara were on such good terms brought a sense of relief to Li. Yao was, as always, gentle and understanding.

"I’ve already heard everything about Sara," Yao said, her tone shifting slightly. "She can stay at our home for now; I will handle the arrangements." She tilted her head and added, "You don't have any objections, do you, Li?"

Li pursed his lips, instinctively shaking his head. "No, it’s great that you’re willing to help." Though he didn't understand how Yao had managed to get along with Sara so quickly, it was a good thing for him; at least he didn't have to struggle to explain so many complicated issues. Besides, given her tone, it didn't seem like something he could refuse.

"Alright, if you have nothing else, you should head back," Yao said, promptly issuing an order to leave.

Li nodded, then looked toward Sara. "Don't worry about your people. I’ve already spoken with the Hokage and the Clan Leader; someone will be sent to receive them soon."

With that, he turned and left the office.

"Whew..." Once outside, Li let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He had expected the worst, but things had gone smoothly.

"It really is incredible that Yao could get along with Sara so quickly." Having grown up with her, he knew her better than anyone. While she always appeared approachable and maintained good relations with everyone in the clan, that was as far as it went. She was actually quite selective and set a very high bar for friendship. Outside of him, she essentially kept to herself. He had tried to encourage her to make more friends when they were younger, but after seeing she wouldn't listen, he had let it be. Under such circumstances, her bonding so quickly with Sara was truly rare.

Dismissing these thoughts, Li began to walk toward home. Just then, a young man approached from the opposite direction. Glancing over, Li narrowed his eyes. It was Uchiha Itachi, the boy who had nominally become his student two years ago.

Itachi had changed significantly in those two years. The faint, iconic tear tracks had begun to appear on his face, giving him a sense of maturity and a temperament beyond his years. At a glance, the sense of familiarity he evoked was stronger than ever—he was almost a carbon copy of Shisui. Yet, compared to Shisui, Itachi felt slightly colder, his face betraying even less emotion. It was clear that while Shisui had influenced him, Itachi’s own core personality traits remained unchanged.

Li stopped and waited for him.

"Teacher!" Itachi walked up to him and offered a respectful greeting. He had already received word from his father that he would soon begin formal training under Li. He had heard his close friend, and even his father, speak highly of Li more than once. This made Itachi both expectant and apprehensive. On one hand, he wanted to see what kind of person could command the respect of both Shisui and his father. On the other, he had learned of Li’s battle record through various channels. This teacher of his was no simple man.

Li looked at his future student and nodded slightly. "You’ve heard the conditions for my instruction from the Clan Leader, haven't you?"

"Yes," Itachi replied slowly. "Father told me to follow your instructions."

Li’s lips curled into a faint smile. "Very well. Follow me." He had originally intended to take the day off, but since Itachi was here, he decided to skip the rest. He wanted to see exactly what level Itachi was at; some things could only be understood through practical assessment.

Itachi watched Li’s back and followed him without hesitation. The two left the main road of the village and headed toward the desolate wilderness.