Uchiha Shinichi stood in the center of the training grounds at the Uchiha Clan Compound, his naturally curly silver hair stirring in the morning breeze. A grass root hung from his lips, and his half-lidded eyes held his trademark laziness.
Yet his Rinne Tenseigan quietly shifted, a golden gleam flashing and fading as it caught a barely perceptible ripple of chakra in the air.
A knowing smile curved his lips, and he murmured, "Interesting... Someone's getting restless."
Ever since he had noticed something wrong with Tsunade a few days earlier, Shinichi's instincts had been ringing like an alarm.
Tsunade's distance, the undercurrents within the village, and the strange chakra that occasionally flickered beyond the training grounds gave him the uneasy sense that a plot against their wedding was brewing.
And he would never let anyone ruin the carefree happiness he had worked so hard to secure.
In a consultation room at Konoha Hospital, Tsunade sat by the window. She had gone through the medical report in her hands several times already, but her gaze remained unfocused.
Her long golden hair shone in the morning light, yet the exhaustion on her face was impossible to hide.
Kanon's Heart-Eroding Illusion continued to wear away at her will. Those dreams-the images of Shinichi and Kanon together intimately-coiled around her heart like venomous snakes, making her question her trust in Shinichi.
"Lady Tsunade?" A medical ninja entered, concern in their voice. "You don't look well today. Would you like to take a break?"
Tsunade came back to herself and forced a smile. "I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well. Let's keep working."
The medical ninja nodded and left. Tsunade lowered her gaze to her hands, her fists clenching unconsciously.
Her heart was torn. On one hand, she believed in Shinichi's feelings for her; on