The mysterious figure, after the Kaguya verified the intel, turned and vanished into the night. The Kaguya didn't stop him.
To them, this shadowy figure was just a pitiful wretch too weak to seek vengeance alone.
Under the moonlight, the figure shed his disguise, revealing an aged face, pale and stark. The crimson in Uchiha Yao's eyes faded.
Recalling the Kaguya, Yao's stiff lips curled slightly. "Those brainless lunatics are perfect cover. When they clash with the Uchiha, I'll make my move."
---
"Gin, wake up!" A wet sensation on his face stirred Uchiha Gin. He opened his eyes to see a tearful girl, her tears dripping onto him. Thirsty, he instinctively licked the moisture at his lips.
Salty, yet sweet.
Seeing him awake, the girl flung herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest, sobbing. "I had a strange dream… you weren't there. I was so scared…"
Still stiff, Gin propped himself up, letting her cry against him. He gently stroked her dark hair. "It's okay. I'll always be here."
"Really?" Her red nose and teary eyes met his, seeking confirmation.
"Of course. You always say I'm all you've got. Who else would look after you?" He patted her head, signaling her to stand.
"Hmph, who said that? I'd manage without you," she huffed, jumping up, turning away with a pout, embarrassed by her closeness.
"Alright, you two, enough lovey-dovey stuff. You're making us old-timers' teeth ache," Uchiha Yan teased, his round frame looming.
Gin noticed Yan and Mio, previously sent away, had returned.
"Where's that old man?" he asked urgently, thinking of Yao's odd behavior.
"The clan leader barred him from your research. You can rest easy," Mio explained, his cold eyes hiding concern. "Any discomfort? Eyes, head?"
Gin mentioned his declining vision, while Light recounted Yao's aides calling her a "weapon."
"Weapon?" Gin frowned, puzzled. Mio sighed, producing the war weapon proposal.
Skimming it, Gin scowled. "Has that old man lost it? Turning me and Light into mindless 'war weapons'?"
---
Meanwhile, after rejecting Yao's proposal, Tajima returned to his residence.
His wife, who'd just birthed twins, was nursing one while another young child slept nearby. In an era where clans valued large families for manpower, Tajima's stern gaze softened at the sight.
"You've worked hard," he said, sitting by her, gently touching her frail form.
"It's fine. Where are Madara and Izuna?" His wife, the late clan leader's daughter, was gentle, her soft nature balancing Tajima's intensity, their bond unusually deep.
"They're old enough to fight. I've got them training to toughen up. It'll keep them safer in battle," Tajima said. Madara and Izuna could handle small skirmishes, and he wanted them hardened.
"Oh, I'm still recovering!" she teased, her voice coy, catching his drift.
"What kind of man do you take me for?" Tajima retorted, reining in his impulses with mock indignation.
The Uchiha grounds were serene under the night sky, patrols diligently sweeping the perimeter.
Darkness didn't hinder the Uchiha's dynamic vision. As their route neared its end, the team let their guard down.
Swish, swish, swish… A rapid whistle cut through the jungle. The lead patroller fell, blood spraying.
"Enemy attack!" An alarm flared, a fiery signal exploding skyward. The remaining team drew weapons, crimson eyes blazing, charging to buy time for the clan.
In moments, hundreds of figures emerged from the dark. The bloodthirsty Kaguya, faces twisted, surged like wolves. The patrol was overwhelmed, vanishing into the tide, leaving broken limbs behind.
Death's shadow crept toward the peaceful Uchiha grounds.
Bored, Gin lay in the institute, counting stars through the window.
A distant flame caught his eye—the Uchiha's attack signal.
Stunned, he leapt up, sprinting from the rest area.
The institute was chaos—guards rallied, researchers scrambled to secure files. Ignoring them, Gin pounded on a door.
Knock, knock, knock! The door opened, revealing a sleepy Light, hugging a pillow, yawning. "Gin, what now?"
"Someone's attacking the clan!" Ignoring propriety, he grabbed her hand, pulling her along.
"Where are we going?" she asked, dazed, as he dragged her.
At the institute's entrance, Yan was directing guards. Seeing the teens, he shouted, "What are you doing? Get back inside—it's safer!"
Yan had just learned unknown enemies were rapidly advancing, precisely striking patrols and sentries, catching them off guard.
"Get Light somewhere safe. I'm fighting!" Gin shielded her, thumping his chest, crimson eyes fearless. "I can fight!"
"You're not needed yet. Stay put," Yan said, half-amused. The enemy was fierce, but the Uchiha, a millennium-old clan, wouldn't fall to such an assault.
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