The Future Reappearing in the Illusion

Uchiha Chen's words, like something used to coax a child, reached Pakura's ears. They sounded so absurd that they were almost laughable.

Just as she was about to open her mouth and berate him, warning him not to make such pointless jokes, a burst of noisy commotion suddenly arose—one after another, Sunagakure's higher-ups pushed open the door and streamed inside like a tide, forcibly cutting off the rebuke that was about to leave her lips.

The three people at the very front were none other than Rasa, Chiyo, and their younger brother, Ebizo.

"Rasa, Lady Chiyo, Lord Ebizo..."

Pakura greeted them reflexively.

However, when she clearly saw the people before her, she froze—the once-familiar faces were now covered in the marks of time, all of them looking terribly old.

"How did you all become... so old?"

The enormous contrast stunned Pakura so completely that she temporarily forgot she was inside a genjutsu.

After all, not long ago, they had been sitting at this very table, discussing Sunagakure's future direction.

Yet after only a few days apart, the familiar faces before her had changed so drastically.

How could her mind not falter?

But she quickly came back to herself.

Because Sunagakure's higher-ups acted as though they could not see her at all, as if she simply did not exist.

And when the final person entered the room, Pakura discovered in shock that there was no sign of herself anywhere inside.

Only then did that startling fact make her painfully recall her current situation.

"What exactly is the meaning of this, Lord Hokage? You made me witness this scene—do you think... ngh!!!"

Before Pakura could finish, a soft, breathy cry unexpectedly escaped her lips.

Although she immediately covered her mouth, the hand brazenly tormenting her chest still successfully prevented her from continuing.