Dream Return

Night had fallen. Uchiha Feng sat alone in a dim room. The faint candlelight flickered, illuminating the scattered papers, ink, and brushes across his desk.

The brush in his hand moved without pause as he wrote something on the paper. His brows alternately furrowed and relaxed, as though he were fighting a silent battle against the restlessness in his heart.

"I never thought I'd be forced into marriage at twelve," he muttered, his voice carrying a trace of helpless resentment. "The Hyuga Clan really has some nerve. You can't handle me, so now you want to handle my father instead? Do you think that'll force me to compromise?"

He took a deep breath, then felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him. He yawned, his eyelids so heavy they seemed weighed down by a thousand pounds.

He casually tossed the brush onto the desk, rubbed his eyes, and muttered, "Hah... so sleepy. Better get some sleep first." With that, he rose and quietly made his way to the bed.

Tonight, perhaps he only wanted to sleep without dreams.

As he fell asleep, his consciousness seemed to pass through time and space, drifting into the bustling city of his previous life.

Tall buildings lining the streets glittered with neon lights. Crowds surged through the city, and every corner seemed brimming with life and vitality.

"This is... my home?" he murmured, his heart filled with confusion.

"Where am I? Is this a dream, or reality? Did I really transmigrate into the world of Naruto? Or..."

"I..." He tried desperately to sort through his thoughts, only to be interrupted by a shrill ringing.

"Beep, beep, beep..." The phone screen lit up, its harsh glow especially glaring in the darkness.

"Ye Feng! Where are you? Are you even coming to work? If you don't show up soon, we're going to report you missing!" The voice on the other end sounded anxious, with a touch of impatience.

"Huh? You are..." He tried to place that familiar yet unfamiliar voice, but remained utterly lost.

"Damn it, Feng, you don't recognize me? It's Brother Hao!" The voice's tone abruptly changed, tinged with surprise.

Ye Feng remained dazed for a long time, indescribably complicated emotions churning in his heart. After a while, the voice on the other end gradually faded away, leaving only the quiet beeping tone.

That conversation still echoed in his mind, as though it had been an unattainable dream.

Sunlight filtered through the living room curtains. Its warm rays outlined Ye Feng's face, as if coating him in a gentle glow.

"What... I'm not in the Hidden Leaf Village? Wasn't I in the Uchiha Clan Compound? Could everything I went through have been an illusion?" he muttered, unease in his voice.

And so, Ye Feng fell into a confused state where reality and illusion intertwined.

His life seemed to be pulled along by an invisible thread. The grind of nine-to-five work, the pressure of mortgage and car payments, all weighed on him like an unseen mountain, leaving him unable to breathe.

Every day repeated the same rhythm, cramped and oppressive, as though he had been swept into the whirlpool of reality and could no longer break free.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Hidden Leaf Village, Uchiha Itachi stood in the silent night, his expression grave. Beside him, Uchiha Feng suddenly turned into a wisp of ethereal smoke and vanished without a trace.

"Hm? Was that a shadow clone? Unbelievable. Brother has already become this powerful? I couldn't even detect his shadow clone." Uchiha Itachi frowned slightly, astonished by Uchiha Feng's strength.

At that moment, Uchiha Feng lay quietly in his own room, his eyes tightly shut as he remained immersed in sleep.

Yet an unknown and terrifying chakra within him quietly spread outward, like a surging undercurrent, shocking every jonin in the Hidden Leaf Village, as well as the Hokage.

"This chakra is even more terrifying than what was released during the Nine-Tails' Rampage!" Inside the Hokage Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, his expression stern and his brows filled with concern.

"Immediately send people to investigate the direction of the Uchiha Clan! If there are any signs of unrest, suppress it at once. Under no circumstances are innocent civilians to be harmed!" he ordered, his tone firm beyond question.

Meanwhile, in the shadows of Root, Shimura Danzō sat in a dark room, his face grim.

After Uchiha Feng's bloody purge, Root was no longer as powerful as it had once been. Yet over the years, under Hiruzen Sarutobi's indulgence, Root had gradually regained some of its influence.

"Investigate immediately! The Uchiha Clan seems to have exposed a weakness!" Shimura Danzō's voice was like an icy blade, carrying an unmistakable threat.

Such terrifying chakra fluctuations were enough to make one's blood run cold!

At this moment, Tsunade and Jiraiya, who were in Konoha, naturally could not ignore it. They stood atop a tall roof, their eyes fixed on the unceasing chakra fluctuations in the distance, their faces full of shock.

Jiraiya's expression instantly turned serious. "That chakra is undoubtedly little Feng's! I've fought him before. There's no way I could mistake it."

Tsunade paused in surprise, then asked curiously, "Oh? You fought him? And how did it go?"

Jiraiya scratched his head, an awkward smile appearing on his face. "I... lost..."

Tsunade's eyes widened, and a teasing smile curved her lips. "Tch. You actually lost to a child? What a disgrace to the Sannin."

Jiraiya shrugged helplessly and said with slight grievance, "You can't blame me entirely. Little Feng's talent is just too incredible. Not only does he train diligently, but he's also a descendant of the Uchiha Clan, with that powerful bloodline flowing through him. His talent is frighteningly high, and with his Sharingan, he's practically a born combat genius! His own hard work only makes him even more outstanding!"

Tsunade curled her lip and cut off his excuse. "Stop making excuses. Face it, you're the disgrace of the Sannin."

Jiraiya's expression abruptly became exceptionally serious, determination gleaming in his eyes. "I'm certain that Uchiha Feng is stronger now than that old Third Hokage!"

Tsunade casually waved a hand and looked into the distance, her brows faintly knitting together. "Look. The Uchiha Clan has been surrounded."

Jiraiya's interest was instantly piqued. His eyes sharpened like a hawk's as he surveyed the scene around them. "Well, damn. The Hokage's ANBU and Danzō's Root have both mobilized. Every jonin left in the Hidden Leaf Village has gathered here!"

Tsunade curled her lip disdainfully. "These Konoha people are impossible to understand. What exactly are they doing? That chakra is indeed unbelievably powerful, but it carries no killing intent. Is there really a need to completely surround the entire Uchiha Clan? Aren't they afraid of causing internal conflict?"

Jiraiya pondered for a moment, a trace of concern flashing through his eyes. "According to the intelligence I received recently... they're this nervous entirely because of the Uchiha Clan's identity. Konoha's higher-ups have been wary of the Uchiha for a long time. It's clear they see the Uchiha Clan as a potential threat."