CHAPTER 26
As they stepped out of the forest, Uchiha Tunan and Uchiha Mina walked along the dimly lit streets of Konoha, heading toward the Uchiha Clan district.
The night air was cool, but midway through their walk, Mina suddenly staggered.
Before she could fall, Tunan swiftly caught her, his sharp reflexes preventing her from hitting the ground. He looked at her with concern.
"Mina, what's wrong?"
Uchiha Mina's face had turned unusually pale. She shook her head weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Tunan-kun, I feel... a little dizzy."
Tunan placed the back of his hand on her forehead, frowning.
"Hmm... You're burning up. You must've caught a cold from the river."
"N-No… that's not it…" Mina tried to refute him, but she found herself struggling to form words.
Her mind clouded over, thoughts slipping from her grasp as her consciousness wavered.
Then, before she fully lost awareness, Uchiha Tunan pulled her closer, gently pressing his lips against hers under the soft glow of a street lamp.
High above, an Anbu operative patrolling the rooftops caught sight of the scene.
"Kids these days sure have a way of playing around," he muttered to himself before turning away. He had no interest in watching and disappeared into the night.
As soon as the Anbu left, Uchiha Tunan loosened his grip. Mina was now completely dazed, her eyes unfocused.
The Uchiha district was still some distance away. Tunan knew he had to avoid not only the village's Anbu but also the night patrols of the Uchiha Police Force.
"Troublesome... but nothing I can't handle."
His Sharingan flared to life, the tomoe spinning lazily.
From the shadows, the white doves perched across the rooftops—his ever-present sentinels—blinked, their eyes now glowing a deep crimson.
With their shared vision, Tunan surveyed the area. The intricate network of patrol routes and blind spots was laid out before him with crystal clarity.
He exhaled softly.
In the next instant, his figure blurred into the darkness, moving like a phantom through the village.
Effortlessly weaving between patrols, he arrived at Uchiha Mina's house without incident.
Inside the courtyard, a dead cat lay stiffly in the grass, its lifeless eyes reflecting the moonlight. Tunan paid it no mind as he carried Mina inside.
Laying her down gently on her bed, he sat beside her.
His Sharingan spun again, shifting into the intricate design of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
With a single glance, he peered into her tenketsu points, scanning her chakra flow.
Then, with practiced precision, he pressed a point near her collarbone.
Mina's eyes snapped open.
But what she saw wasn't her room.
The world around her had changed.
She was no longer in bed. She was standing in a vast, desolate space bathed in a crimson hue. The sky churned with storm clouds, lightning flashing erratically across the endless horizon.
A deep, chilling rumble of thunder rolled in the distance.
Mina shivered.
Where am I…?
Her heartbeat quickened. She turned around frantically, searching for something—anything—familiar.
Then, through the sound of falling rain, slow, deliberate footsteps echoed from behind her.
She froze.
Through the translucent curtain of rain, a figure was approaching.
Step. Step.
Mina swallowed hard.
Her hand instinctively reached for the kunai pouch at her hip.
Lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the figure's silhouette.
Her breath hitched.
A tall man, his features obscured by the shadows, gripped a long, bloodstained sword in his right hand. In his left…
He held a severed head.
Mina's eyes widened in horror.
The dim light flickered, revealing the head's pale, lifeless face.
Hyūga Chiretsu.
Her lavender Byakugan eyes were frozen in terror, her mouth slightly agape as if she had died mid-scream.
Drip.
A drop of fresh blood slid from the stump of her neck, splattering onto the ground.
Mina's body trembled uncontrollably.
The figure stepped forward again.
Lightning struck once more.
This time, the man's face was fully illuminated.
Uchiha Tunan.
His Mangekyō Sharingan spun hypnotically, his expression unreadable.
Mina stumbled backward, her hands shaking violently.
"N-No… this can't be…"
She tried to form a seal, tried to use a jutsu, anything—but her mind was blank.
Tunan took another step forward, raising his bloodied blade.
"You should feel honored, Mina," he said softly, almost kindly.
Mina's lips trembled.
"Why…? Why are you doing this?"
Tunan tilted his head, his usual gentle smile twisting into something eerie.
"Pain is necessary for growth."
Then, without hesitation—
He plunged the sword into her chest.
"AHHHHHHH—!"
Mina jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat.
She gasped, clutching at her chest.
Her room was quiet.
The morning sun filtered through the paper windows, casting soft golden light on the tatami mat floor.
A gentle meow broke the silence.
Mina turned her head.
Her cat, Yukine, was perched beside her, licking her face with its rough tongue.
She blinked in confusion.
A… dream?
Her hands trembled slightly as she reached out and touched her chest.
No wounds. No blood.
Just a dream…
She let out a shuddering breath and looked at the calendar on the wall.
October 6th.
"Wait… what?"
Mina frowned.
Yesterday was October 5th. She clearly remembered that.
How… how had an entire day passed?
She stared at the date, a sinking feeling twisting in her gut.
Something was wrong.
But she couldn't remember what.
Yukine meowed again, rubbing against her leg.
Mina shook her head, trying to push away the unease.
"I'm just overthinking it."
Forcing a smile, she scooped up her cat and stroked its fur.
"You must be hungry, huh?"
"Meow~"
She got up, moving toward the cupboard to pour some food into the dish.
Afterward, she sat under the eaves of the house, eating her own breakfast while gazing at the cherry blossoms swaying in the yard.
A gentle breeze rustled the branches.
She felt… odd. Like something was missing.
Like there was an emptiness in her thoughts, but she couldn't quite place why.
Time passed quickly.
Before she knew it, evening had arrived.
Mina suddenly snapped out of her trance.
Had she… been sitting there all day?
She shook her head and stood up.
Her legs felt stiff, as if she hadn't moved in hours.
She stretched and started toward the training grounds.
The streets were eerily quiet.
Even though she could hear the distant chatter of families inside their homes, something about the emptiness of the roads made her uneasy.
Still, she pressed on.
When she reached the training field, she spotted a familiar figure sitting on the grass, waiting for her.
Uchiha Tunan.
His gentle smile remained unchanged.
"Tunan-kun…" she murmured.
A warm feeling of relief washed over her. She hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward.
And then—
She smiled. and walked toward him.