The Demon of the Other Shore

Early summer, the 51st year of the Konoha era.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled lazily across the buildings, and the streets marked with the Uchiha clan's fan crest were unusually quiet.

Today was the routine assembly of the Uchiha clan. Aside from those remaining on duty with the Police Force, every elite member of the clan at the rank of Chunin or higher was required to head to Naka Shrine.

"Sister Izumi, I'm heading to the training grounds now."

At a fork in the road, a small boy dressed in light blue ninja attire bowed slightly to the girl before him, his respect for her evident.

"You really don't know how to take a break, do you? Remember to come home early."

Looking at the little one who hadn't even grown taller than her yet, a trace of helplessness appeared on Izumi Uchiha's face.

In her memory, ever since he began training under Yashiro Uchiha, he had never once faltered. Winter or summer, rain or snow—nothing could stop him.

"Understood, Sister Izumi."

With a simple reply, Arata Uchiha headed toward the training grounds.

Today, he had a very important matter to attend to.

"By the way, you were the one who beat up the Sarutobi brothers, Ki and Rin, weren't you?"

Standing where she was, Izumi Uchiha seemed to suddenly recall something and called out toward the boy's retreating back.

Hearing this, Arata turned around. He didn't speak, but beneath his delicate features, a faint ripple of emotion stirred.

Those two annoying guys really don't know their place. I clearly warned them not to run their mouths.

"Eh, so it really was you."

Izumi Uchiha blinked, reading the silence on his face instantly.

Having confirmed her suspicions, the emotions on the girl's face became more animated as she continued, "No wonder no matter how much Teacher Chuno questioned them, they insisted they had just fallen. Those two prideful boys couldn't bring themselves to admit they'd been beaten by a first-year student."

However...

"Sister Izumi, I don't know them."

Arata denied it earnestly.

As long as those two didn't admit it themselves, it was fine. After all, they were still members of the Sarutobi clan, and the superficial relationship between the Uchiha and the village still needed to be maintained by the Third Hokage.

"Mm."

Izumi didn't press the issue, giving a soft hum before waving her hand to signal him to go and return quickly.

But watching Arata's retreating figure, Izumi Uchiha couldn't help but mutter to herself, "He's just a little one who just entered the Academy, yet like Itachi, he always hides his thoughts. Are all geniuses like this?"

"Still, thank you. Those two really were annoying~~"

Arata was a reincarnator.

In his previous life, he grew up in an orphanage, quiet and solitary by nature.

He had no close friends, no sense of belonging, and the only things that comforted his time were the novels of his home country and the anime of the neighboring one. In an accident, while trying to save a drowning child, he had sunk forever into the cold river.

When his consciousness stirred again and his pupils regained their focus, he had a new identity: Arata Uchiha.

That day, the gloomy sky was drizzling with light rain. Everywhere he looked, there were black mourning clothes and white chrysanthemums; the stifled sobbing was distinct even amidst the rain.

Taking over those shallow memories, there was only the image of his parents shielding him with their bodies, and the roar of a fierce beast echoing across the heavens.

Anyway, I've always been alone. It makes no difference.

Just as he suppressed the rising tide of sorrow, a gentle voice fell upon his ears: "Don't worry, everything will be alright."

He looked up to see a girl only a few years older than him, with a tear mole beneath her right eye.

That girl was Sister Izumi.

She had lost her father during the Nine-Tails' rampage.

And Arata, having lived two lives, could clearly see her swollen eye sockets and the tears that fell mixed with the rain; she was forcing herself to suppress her own grief to comfort him.

Later, the orphaned Arata Uchiha was raised by the entire clan, and even Yashiro Uchiha, an elder of the clan, became his mentor.

After all, awakening the Sharingan before the age of three was something rarely seen even in the official history of the Uchiha clan.

The Sharingan was known as one of the most powerful ocular techniques, possessing the ability to peer into the chakra of others, cast illusions, and copy the ninjutsu and taijutsu of others.

Once an awakener grew up, they were invincible among their peers.

There was even a saying in the ninja world: If you encounter an Uchiha who has awakened the Sharingan alone, you must flee!

More importantly, as a reincarnator, he possessed more than just the Sharingan.

Reaching the training area and carefully scouting the surroundings to ensure no one else was present, Arata sat on the ground. A sharpened kunai appeared in his hand, and before him lay a light blue talisman paper inscribed with obscure and difficult characters.

The kunai was a third-birthday gift from Uncle Yashiro.

"The descendants of the Uchiha clan do not need wooden toys as a transition."

That was the man's exact words.

As for the talisman on the ground, it was called an "Advanced Contract Talisman." It was the only tangible benefit he had received after his reincarnation, capable of randomly summoning a Great Yokai from the Heian-kyo and binding them to a contract of eternal loyalty.

In the three years since his rebirth, Arata Uchiha had wanted nothing more than to reveal this trump card.

However, fearing that his own strength was too meager to command the summoned yokai, he had kept the talisman until now.

Yet, with the powerful rise of Itachi and the clan's resources shifting entirely in his favor, Arata knew he could no longer afford to remain "mediocre."

Otherwise, the distance between them would only continue to grow.

Without further hesitation, a sharp kunai sliced across his finger, and bright red blood dripped along the tip of the blade, blooming like a stain as it splashed onto the contract talisman.

"Yokai of the other shore, follow my blood, descend to this realm, and bind a contract for eternity."

The moment the words fell, the entire sky turned eerie, and the surrounding wilderness plunged into a deathly silence; the grass, ancient trees, birds, and beasts—all living things seemed to perish in that instant.

As the blue talisman shattered into stardust, an icy chill enveloped the earth, and snow began to fall strangely amidst the sweltering Natsuhi.

A stunningly beautiful girl dressed in plain white robes slowly materialized within the brilliant stardust.

"Human."

The cold, distant murmur snapped the dazed Arata back to reality, and the mark of a six-petaled snowflake gradually faded beneath the back of his right hand.

Contract established!

Looking at the girl before him, Arata Uchiha opened his mouth, but in the end, he could not utter a single word.

He could clearly feel her dissatisfaction and disgust, and he could also vaguely perceive her immense power.

In his field of vision, this yokai girl, standing tall with her bare jade feet, was none other than the lord-level Great Yokai from the snowfields: Yuki-onna!

Time slipped away in silent stillness.

The establishment of the contract did not bring Arata and this otherworldly yokai any closer; instead, it became a thorn in the girl's heart—a thorn that was difficult to pull out.

Perhaps only the death of the former could remove this symbol of humiliation.

"My apologies."

After a short while, Arata Uchiha finally murmured, his unfocused gaze regaining its clarity.

"But right now, I must borrow your power."

His voice gradually grew firm.

"Spirit Bind: Red Plum Under Snow."

This was the first yokai ability Arata had learned using skill point fragments accumulated over three years, allowing him to forcibly borrow the power of a contracted yokai.

Of course, to truly unleash the power of this skill, he still needed the recognition of the contracted yokai.

At the same time, the intense energy fluctuations erupting from the training ground immediately caught the attention of the clan's powerhouses. Agile figures rushed toward the scene under the twilight, and it was clear that their scarlet eyes all reflected black tomoe, their expressions twisted with a manic, ferocious intensity.

"To dare intrude upon the clan's autonomous district while they are gathered?"

"How interesting!!"

"Then, feel it well—the terror of being dominated by the Uchiha!"