The leaves on either side of the highway rustled.
Lying facedown in the mud, Uchiha Inabi twitched his fingers, then opened his eyes with some difficulty.
Everything in his vision appeared doubled, and sharp pains pulsed deep inside his head.
"My head hurts..."
Inabi groaned and pressed a hand to his forehead.
Beside him, Uchiha Tekka also struggled to his feet, staring blankly at the ground.
"Chikage... you're actually alive?"
Tekka froze when he saw Chikage standing a short distance away with a teacup.
He clearly remembered Danzo using Wind Release to sever Chikage's neck in the illusion.
The image of blood spurting out still haunted his mind.
Chikage heaved a deep sigh.
He stepped forward and handed over a bottle of water.
"This was all the clan leader's idea."
Chikage pointed toward Konoha, his expression grave.
"Uncle Fugaku thought you'd been stuck at three-tomoe for too long. Even your physical abilities were starting to decline."
"To help you break through as quickly as possible, he secretly put together this special training plan."
Chikage brushed nonexistent dust off the hem of his clothes.
"He used the ocular power of his Mangekyō Sharingan to force this genjutsu on you."
"I'm just a clerk in the Konoha Military Police Force. There was no way I could stop him."
Inabi and Tekka's eyes widened.
"The clan leader did this?"
Tekka swallowed.
"He made us watch Danzo gouge out our entire families' eyes while they were still alive?"
Chikage spread his hands.
"Yes. I tried my hardest to talk him out of it."
"I told him Inabi and Tekka were straightforward guys. What if they couldn't handle the shock and it broke their minds?"
"But Uncle Fugaku just wouldn't listen."
"He said jade had to be carved to become something useful. Without a strong