Konoha Village at 5 AM

"Are you all packed?"

The old woman squinted her eyes, her silver hair reflecting the bright yellow lamplight. Leaning sleepily against the bedroom doorframe, she gazed at her well-behaved grandson as he organized his ninja tools.

"If the Nine-Tails really attacks, these things won't be of much use, will they?"

Rikusei looked at the tools laid out on the table with a solemn expression. He picked one up to fiddle with it, his dark eyes filled with distress.

Perhaps the cool morning Summer Wind cleared her head, as the old woman's sleepy eyes suddenly brightened. Remembering something, she walked back into the bedroom and returned with a sealed iron box, which she placed on the table.

"This is..." Rikusei, sitting on the sofa, curiously examined the box. It looked quite old, radiating a sense of history.

The old woman smiled mysteriously, opened her palm to retrieve a key, and under Rikusei's expectant gaze, slowly opened it. A few small yellow spheres lay quietly inside.

Rikusei recognized them at a glance.

They were Smoke Bombs. He already had some on him; it seemed like overkill to keep these in an iron box.

The old woman seemed to read his confusion. She took them out, placed them on the table, and said with a touch of nostalgia, "These are specially crafted Smoke Bombs. If the Nine-Tails really attempts to attack you all, you can use these to distract it. Although the chakra-infused smoke might be blown away in an instant, it should still serve to buy you some time."

Seeing her grandson stow them away, she paused before closing the box, muttering to herself, "These are probably better suited for use on the Nine-Tails."

"?"

Rikusei, who hadn't heard her clearly, looked at her with a puzzled expression, only to have her tap him on the forehead.

Watching her grandson rub his forehead, the old woman shifted her gaze, sensing familiar chakra approaching. She hurriedly urged, "Naori will be here soon. Aren't you going to head out?"

"Oh."

After tucking the Smoke Bombs into his ninja tool pouch, Rikusei cast a lingering look at the old woman as she walked toward the bedroom. He straightened his clothes, turned off the light, and headed out the door.

The old woman wasn't entirely sure of the Nine-Tails' strength, but she knew the power of Madara and Hashirama like the back of her hand.

She had been there for the final battle between the Eternal Mangekyo and Wood Release. Rather than worrying about them, she was more concerned for the Nine-Tails.

Slowly closing her eyes, her Sharingan couldn't help but replay the scenes of that final battle. Although the Uchiha Clan had been defeated, the two clans had reached a reconciliation, bringing peace to the ninja world.

Stepping out of the house, Rikusei closed the door softly. Standing on the street, he pulled his collar tight against the wind. Even though it was the height of summer, the morning breeze still made one want to shrink into their clothes.

"Is Rikusei afraid of the cold, too?"

A soft voice drifted on the wind, laced with a hint of teasing, like a lark perched on a branch at dawn, mocking the passerby huddled in his collar.

Rikusei turned his head toward the source of the sound. A pair of ninja shoes, revealing the tips of her toes, dangled mischievously from the wall by the roadside.

The clear moonlight tried to catch up to her jade-like toes. Looking up from her smooth, fair feet, her calves, wrapped in bandages, swayed slightly, causing her Uchiha High-Collar Robe to flutter. Her slender fingers gripped a white lantern adorned with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, holding it tilted upward. The warm yellow candlelight illuminated the girl's flawless face.

The moonlight spilled evenly over Naori's soft purple hair. Her dark eyes, set in a beautiful face, were currently examining him with curiosity. Seeing his dazed expression, she couldn't help but pout.

With a graceful leap, she drifted down from the wall. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she checked the flickering flame—thankfully, it hadn't gone out. She brushed the dust from her clothes and stood beside him, looking very well-behaved.

"The moonlight is truly beautiful tonight," Rikusei said, his eyes slightly unfocused as he was drawn to the Moon Wheel casting its bright light across the dark night sky.

"It is. There aren't many stars, either." Naori looked up at the clear night sky, holding her lantern level. She steadied the short sword at her waist, careful not to let it make a crisp clinking sound that might disturb the quiet, picturesque night.

Rikusei took the lantern and surveyed the Uchiha Clan Grounds in the early morning. Rhythmic insect chirps rose from the roadside grass, joining the rustling of distant leaves to herald the dawn of midsummer.

Specks of starlight and the bright moonlight illuminated their path forward as the two walked toward their agreed-upon destination.

The gates of Konoha were their designated meeting point.

"Capturing the Nine-Tails this time... it's bound to be grueling, isn't it?" Naori, moving with agile steps, rolled her eyes and whispered to the boy beside her.

"Don't worry, I brought the Hot Pot," Rikusei said, catching her drift. He pointed to the scroll in the ninja tool pouch on his back, keeping his voice low.

Her bright eyes welled with mist. Naori grabbed his sleeve, her voice trembling with emotion: "That's great, Rikusei!"

Who could resist the temptation of Hot Pot? Especially the special version with dango added. Although the flavor profile had changed significantly, the taste—something she had never experienced before—had completely conquered the girl's stomach.

"..."

Rikusei let her hold his sleeve, feeling a slight regret that the cool, moonlit Little Beauty from a moment ago had vanished like a fleeting illusion under the starry sky, defeated by the lure of food.

At the gates of the Uchiha Clan Grounds ahead, several lights were shining. Although the night shrouded their figures, it was easy to identify Kagami, Baru, and Naka.

This level of twilight couldn't hinder a ninja's vision; they only carried lanterns to signal their presence so their companions could spot them at a glance.

Four lanterns moved side-by-side through the gates of the Uchiha Clan Grounds, strolling along the streets of Konoha. The faint light illuminated the streets, which looked completely different from how they appeared during the day, taking on a special charm under the full moon.

Naka and Baru were excitedly speculating about the battle that might break out, while Kagami refined their ideas based on the various legends he had heard.

"Instead of discussing that, shouldn't we be discussing whether you'll be able to keep up with the marching speed later?" Rikusei tapped Baru on the shoulder and, meeting his confused gaze, whispered words that sounded like a devil's murmur.

The atmosphere, which had been so lively just a moment ago, instantly fell silent.

After a moment of contemplation, Baru turned his head woodenly. He met the eyes of Naka and Kagami, only to find that all three of them shared the exact same expression.

"The clan leaders will surely accommodate our speed later." Seeing the three of them visibly turning gray, Naori decided to save them.

"Phew!"

That was a relief. The three of them looked at their "big sister" with gratitude, letting out a collective sigh of relief as their tense hearts finally settled.

"Wait a minute! Don't you dare turn your faces away." The brief pause allowed Naori, aided by the moonlight, to notice their eye movements and realize something was off. Rikusei had been teasing them; usually, they would have reacted, so why had they fallen for it this time?

Cold sweat began to trickle down their foreheads. Sharp gazes, like needles, pricked at their faces, forcing the memories they had been trying to hide in the back of their minds to resurface.

The terrifying memories coupled with the dim twilight made their bodies tremble uncontrollably; the big sister who had once beaten all of them single-handedly was back, and this time, she was accompanied by that man. Despair spread helplessly through their hearts.

"You must have been so excited that you didn't sleep all night," Rikusei remarked, gesturing for Naori to look at their dark circles.

Naori didn't know what to say, so she rummaged through her pocket, took out a few pills, and prepared to hand them over.

Judging by their appearance, they were Military Ration Pills, excellent items for restoring chakra and stamina.

The three of them shook their heads in unison, indicating that they had their own supplies. They then pulled out specially prepared rice balls from their pockets to share among themselves, filling their stomachs before heading toward the assembly point.