Seal

Civilian District.

After parting ways with Kurenai Yuhi, Shinji first returned home, put down all his belongings, and then headed straight here.

This place was close to the Ninja Academy and far from the territories of the major ninja clans. It was quiet and peaceful. Nohara Rin's home stood within this ordinary residential district.

Her house was a modest two-story wooden building with off-white exterior walls. The yard was not particularly spacious, with several ordinary potted flowers and plants placed in the corner. Everything had been kept clean and tidy, giving off a sense of calm stability.

Shinji stepped forward and gently knocked on the door.

The door opened quickly, and a middle-aged woman poked her head out, looking at him in surprise. "You are?"

Seeing that her brows and eyes resembled Rin's by seventy or eighty percent, Shinji immediately had his answer.

"Could this be Rin's mother?"

He straightened his clothes and nodded politely. "Hello, ma'am. I came to see Rin. My name is Uchiha Shinji."

"Uchiha?"

Nohara Megumi repeated the name softly, as though she had suddenly remembered something. A warm smile immediately bloomed across her face. "Hello, hello. I'm Rin's mother, Nohara Megumi. Come in and have a seat. Rin is upstairs—I'll go call her."

Shinji nodded and followed her inside, taking a seat on the sofa.

Nohara Megumi turned and headed up to the second floor, calling as she went, "Rin-chan~"

"What is it, Mom?" Rin's clear voice answered from upstairs.

"Someone's here to see you. He says his name is Shinji!"

The moment she finished speaking, a small commotion broke out upstairs. Then came a rapid, light patter of footsteps as someone hurried down the stairs.

The moment Rin appeared in the living room, Shinji's eyes brightened involuntarily.

She was not wearing any face paint today, dressed instead in relaxed home attire. Over her clothes, she wore a thin off-white knitted cardigan whose hem draped lightly to above her knees. As she ran, a section of her smooth, fair calves was revealed.

Just like this—Rin was as cute as ever today.

"Shinji, why are you here?"

Nohara Rin gathered her loose hair with one hand, her cheeks faintly flushed. The previous few times, it had been late by the time he escorted her home, and he had only ever walked her to the door. This was the first time he had formally visited her house.

"I'm leaving on a mission tomorrow," Shinji said. "Before I go, I want you to come somewhere with me. Are you free now?"

Rin's eyes curved slightly as she nodded eagerly. "Of course I am! Wait for me, Shinji. I'll go change."

With that, she hurried back up to the second floor.

Nohara Megumi came over carrying hot tea. Seeing her daughter like this, a strange look appeared in her eyes. She handed the cup to Shinji and pointed upstairs with a smile. "I'll go check on that girl. Sit tight for a while."

Shinji accepted the teacup and thanked her with a nod. Before long, the conversation between mother and daughter upstairs drifted down clearly.

"Shinji is quite handsome. What exactly is your relationship?"

"F-friends!"

"You've been coming home so late every day lately. Were you with him every time?"

"Mom! Stop asking so many questions!"

"Are you two going on a date later?"

"I'm not telling you!"

Shinji silently took a sip of tea and sighed softly to himself.

The soundproofing in Rin's house seemed rather poor.

But this was great.

A quarter of an hour later, Nohara Megumi stood at the doorway and waved at the two of them with a smile. "Rin, come home early."

She even deliberately winked at Shinji.

Nohara Rin's cheeks burned as she hurriedly grabbed Shinji's arm, wanting to leave this "social death scene" as quickly as possible.

But Shinji suddenly lowered his head and leaned close to her ear, a hint of mischief in his smile. "I heard everything downstairs just now."

Rin's face instantly turned completely red, even the tips of her ears burning.

He heard everything? It was all Mom's fault!

Her lips moved faintly, but she could not say a single word. She looked completely at a loss.

Shinji chuckled softly, gently took her hand, and quickly led her away.

Forest of Death.

"Shinji, why did you bring me here?"

Nohara Rin stared at him in bewilderment. She had thought their meeting before his mission would be an ordinary date, but she had never expected him to bring her to the Forest of Death, a place that symbolized danger and trials.

The Sharingan in Shinji's eyes slowly turned, its scarlet tomoe silently sweeping the surroundings as he confirmed that no one was following or watching them.

"Rin, trust me."

His tone was exceptionally solemn as he looked at her.

Rin froze slightly, then nodded gently.

She did not know what Shinji intended to do, but she had always trusted him without reservation.

The two of them easily climbed over the barbed-wire fence that cut them off from the outside world and made their way deep inside, arriving at Shinji's secret base hidden in the heart of the forest.

The oil lamps on the walls were lit one by one, their dim yellow light illuminating the cramped space. Rin looked around curiously, her nose twitching slightly as she caught a faint whiff of disinfectant, leaving her puzzled.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Green smoke erupted with a bang, and a robust Ninja Crow flapped its wings as it emerged. It landed steadily on Shinji's shoulder, tilting its head as it examined the girl before it.

"A Sharingan?"

Rin cried out instinctively.

She saw that the crow had a Sharingan in its eye, just like Kakashi.

In the next second, countless scattered details began frantically connecting in her mind.

Sharingan, Ninja Crows, organ transplants, medical ninjutsu, the recent undercurrents within the Uchiha clan—at that moment, every clue instantly formed a complete picture.

"Shinji, you!"

She understood many things, but that only made her more terrified.

Shinji gently stroked the Ninja Crow's feathers, his voice low and solemn.

"I'm leaving on a mission tomorrow. I want to leave you with something to protect yourself."

"I plan to give you this Sharingan."

Once he departed tomorrow, he would no longer be able to stay by Rin's side at all times.

He did not dare gamble on the possibility that Madara Uchiha might abduct Rin while he was away on his mission. If that happened, it would be too late.

"This Sharingan can save your life when you are in the greatest danger."

Rin fell silent.

So everything he had been doing lately was for me?

"I don't know why you're doing this, but I trust you."

She raised her eyes to him, her gaze glistening with tears yet utterly resolute. "What can I do for you?"

"Don't resist."

Shinji smiled faintly, the Sharingan in his eyes spinning once more.

A silent genjutsu spread out in an instant.

Rin's eyes immediately went vacant as her consciousness sank into a peaceful illusion.

"Go."

He lightly patted the Ninja Crow on the head.

Black feathers flashed, and the Ninja Crow became a streak of shadow, flying straight toward Rin. It slipped between her lips and disappeared into her abdomen.

Shinji rapidly formed hand seals, then gently placed his palm over her soft lower abdomen.

"Transcription Seal—Seal!"

Red light bloomed from his palm, firmly sealing the Ninja Crow and that critically important Sharingan inside her body.

A ninja's abdomen was itself a vessel capable of containing immense power. Tailed Beasts could be sealed within it, so naturally, a Ninja Crow carrying ocular power could be as well.

That way, as long as Rin's life came under fatal threat, the Ninja Crow would be drawn into the danger with her. Izanagi would then activate automatically, forcibly rewriting reality and pulling her back from the brink of death.

The red glow of the seal slowly faded, leaving behind a faint triangular mark on her lower abdomen before it sank into her skin and vanished.

Rin's body went limp, and she collapsed unconscious.

Shinji immediately reached out and caught her securely.

"That should do it."

He gently supported her legs and lifted her into a bridal carry, carefully walking to the field cot and slowly laying her down.