Karura and Pakura turned toward the voice at the same time.
In the darkness, a pair of scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan glowed unmistakably.
"Yuzuru?"
Hearing Karura call out, Pakura's heart instantly sank.
Of all the people she didn't want to meet on this mission, Uchiha Yuzuru topped the list.
"Karura, why did you run out here alone? Didn't I tell you that you can talk to me about anything?"
Karura shook her head in panic. "Yuzuru, you have to believe me. I didn't betray you or Kumogakure."
Seeing her reaction, Yuzuru stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, speaking gently. "Silly girl. I wasn't accusing you. You're my wife."
Hearing that, Karura's lips trembled—and she burst into tears.
"Yuzuru, I got a letter from Pakura not long ago, and I roughly guessed Sunagakure's intentions."
"I didn't want to trouble you because of Yashamaru…"
Yuzuru stroked her hair softly. "Alright. Crying too much isn't good for you. Yashamaru will be fine."
"Go back for now. Leave this to me."
Karura glanced at Yuzuru, then at Pakura, but ultimately said nothing.
Once she left, Yuzuru slowly approached Pakura. "Pakura, the Scorch Release ninja from Sunagakure… you're even more naïve than I expected."
Facing his Mangekyō Sharingan, Pakura said in a low voice, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Because you just claimed you still have influence in Sunagakure," Yuzuru said calmly. "But you don't seem to understand— the moment you left the village, your so-called influence was doomed to crumble."
"What?!" Pakura's pupils shrank. "What do you mean?"
"Sit. Let's talk."
Yuzuru sat cross-legged on the ground. After a moment of hesitation, Pakura sat as well.
"From what I know, your strength in Sunagakure ranks among the top. Besides the Third Kazekage, only Rasa can be compared to you."
"During the Third Great Ninja War, your achievements and reputation were on par with Rasa. Plenty of Sunagakure ninja supported you."
"Even after the war ended, many believed you and Rasa were the strongest candidates for the next Kazekage."
Pakura frowned. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"You really don't get it." Yuzuru shook his head. "The Third Kazekage disappeared inside the village. Even though the details are still unclear, everyone agrees that he was secretly assassinated."
"Do you think a newly-appointed Kazekage like Rasa would allow someone whose power, prestige, and influence rival his to continue living inside the village?"
Pakura froze.
She had never considered any of this. Only now, after Yuzuru brought it up, did she realize how unsettlingly logical it sounded.
But she quickly steadied herself. "You think I'll fall for such a cheap provocation?"
"And… did Karura tell you this?"
"I didn't ask Karura anything about Sunagakure. I can see through these things on my own." Yuzuru shrugged. "Haven't you wondered why Rasa would send you on such a dangerous mission?"
"If it were just to meet Karura, Sunagakure has plenty of options. Why would they send one of their top-tier fighters to face a nearly certain-death mission?"
"Certain death?" Pakura let out a cold laugh.
She feared Yuzuru's power—but his arrogance was going too far.
She gritted her teeth. "There's no such thing as absolute fate. Even defying heaven doesn't mean certain death."
Yuzuru replied softly, "Defy heaven and there's still a sliver of hope. Defy me and there is none."
"Try it if you don't believe me."
"I'll try!" Pakura suddenly sprang into action, hurling several kunai toward him.
Her lips parted. "Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder!"
Several high-temperature fireballs shot from her mouth, colliding and exploding the moment they neared Yuzuru. Blinding flames swallowed him whole.
"Hmph."
Pakura couldn't help but smirk.
Scorch Release—her unique kekkei genkai—generated searing spheres capable of evaporating a target's blood and moisture in an instant.
There was no surviving it.
But before her smile even faded, Yuzuru walked out of the flames unharmed.
"That's impossible..."
Pakura stared at him in shock.
She had clearly seen her attack hit him—so why was he completely unscathed?
As Yuzuru approached, Pakura gripped her kunai and aimed for his heart.
"Maybe look carefully before you act?"
His voice whispered in her ear.
Pakura's heart stopped.
A wave of dizziness hit her. The world distorted.
Her kunai was only ten centimeters away—from stabbing into her own heart.
"Genjutsu…"
"When…?"
Cold sweat dripped down her forehead.
Even now, she had no idea when Yuzuru cast it.
Just a simple illusion—yet she nearly killed herself. Was this the true terror of Uchiha Yuzuru?
Even across the entire shinobi world, she ranked among the elite… yet she lost so easily.
And she could tell—Yuzuru hadn't even used much of his power.
Seeing her stunned expression, Yuzuru smiled. "Now do you believe what I said?"
Pakura whispered, "Why don't you just kill me?"
"You earned your life back when you chose to help Karura save Yashamaru," Yuzuru said quietly. "Now, I can give you a chance to serve me—so that a Abandoned pawn like you can still take revenge."
"A Abandoned pawn?" Pakura scoffed. "Just because you can kill me doesn't mean the Kazekage really wants me gone."
"In the end, this is all just your imagination."
Yuzuru waved a hand lightly. "Believe me or don't. Once you return to Sunagakure, you'll see for yourself."
"Remember—if you don't want to die, don't let anyone know you've returned."