Trouble came knocking

"Sis! Your wound!!!"

"Sasuke, don't tell anyone about this. Let's keep it our own little secret."

Chinatsu pressed a finger to the center of her lips and gently blew toward Sasuke. Blushing, he hastily raised both hands and said, "Yes! Yes! I'll definitely keep it secret!"

After getting Sasuke's promise, Chinatsu lowered her head and continued studying the wound she had inflicted on herself.

Her gamble really had paid off. Although Chinatsu had mentally prepared herself, she still couldn't help feeling astonished at witnessing something that could only be called a miracle.

This healing speed could rival the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, couldn't it? Don't tell me I have Senju Clan blood too?

Uh... this should just be my Golden Finger as a transmigrator...

Rather than believe she had both Senju and Uchiha blood, Chinatsu preferred to believe this was the Golden Finger issued to all transmigrators by the Transmigrator Association.

Although it seemed a little lousy compared to other transmigrators' Golden Fingers, Chinatsu figured having anything at all was good enough. I got stabbed in the kidney right at the start! I thought I'd landed a hell-mode opening!

Everything was moving in the right direction!

Chinatsu clenched her fists, an inexplicably moved expression on her face. After all, she had started out experiencing the Night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre and then been stabbed by an Uchiha. When she first dragged herself up from the ground, she had been prepared to die right at the beginning, determined to risk her life just to land at least one punch on Uchiha Itachi.

Unfortunately, she had passed out without landing even one...

While Chinatsu was inexplicably moved, Sasuke stood beside her with his head lowered, secretly smiling to himself. The excitement of sharing a secret with his sister far outweighed his astonishment at seeing Chinatsu stab herself and immediately heal.

Of course, Sasuke also felt a stronger sense of urgency, and he silently set himself an even stricter goal than before.

"Sis! Let's keep going. I want to get stronger and catch up to you both as soon as possible!" Sasuke lifted his head and looked at Chinatsu with utter seriousness.

"That energetic, huh? All right, I'm feeling pretty energetic too. Let's keep going!"

Chinatsu was quite interested in continuing to "play" the Bell-Grabbing game with Sasuke. He wasn't the only one who needed to grow; she could also use the opportunity to explore her own potential. She kept feeling that this wasn't her only Golden Finger, and that other secrets were hidden within her...

Before long, half a year had passed.

During that time, Chinatsu and Sasuke trained day and night. They didn't just practice Bell-Grabbing, but also walking on water, climbing trees, throwing shuriken, close combat with kunai, and more.

Although Chinatsu herself was only a novice, this body's original owner had been exceptionally skilled, so simply teaching Sasuke posed no problem at all.

Then, one day after those six months, Chinatsu forcibly pushed Sasuke out of the Uchiha residence.

"It's already been half a year. It's time you went back to school. If you keep staying away, you'll lose touch with society!"

"Aww, what's the point of going to the Ninja Academy? I'm already really strong. What could they possibly teach me?"

Sasuke was rather reluctant, but faced with his big sister's forceful insistence, he could only puff out his cheeks and grumble unhappily as he put on his little backpack and prepared to return to the Ninja Academy.

"I'm going, then... Sis, you have to come pick me up when school ends!"

"Yes, yes, yes, I'll be there. Honestly, you're still such a little kid."

Sasuke blushed and turned his head away, walking toward the Ninja Academy with his head lowered. Chinatsu smiled and waved, and at that very moment, she sensed someone else's presence.

Chinatsu clocked out.

The Anbu took over!

Chinatsu watched Sasuke walk farther and farther away until he was completely out of sight. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

"Finally got Sasuke out the door. Come to think of it, it's been ages since I've had any time alone. That little guy keeps sticking to me..."

Chinatsu spread her arms and gave them a good stretch. Over the past six months, she had acted as both a "big sister" and a "mother," and it had truly worn her out.

Still, the results were good. Thanks to Chinatsu's tireless efforts, Sasuke had not only grown stronger, but finally dared to go outside alone without fearing other people's nasty gossip.

When Sasuke first managed that, Chinatsu had been so moved that she opened a bottle of champagne. Unfortunately, after just a few sips, she had collapsed with a thud, drunk out of her mind...

"A rare bit of alone time. How should I spend it... Oh dear, oh dear. Looks like I won't be getting that alone time after all..."

Chinatsu abruptly changed her tone, narrowing her eyes as she scanned her surroundings.

One, two, three, four...

Are they Anbu?

It would be nice if they were Anbu. At least there'd be a chance to talk. But if they're those people...

"Come out. I know you're nearby watching me. Do I really have to invite you out one by one?"

As soon as Chinatsu finished speaking, five or six figures appeared around her.

They wore matching uniforms and masks.

Anbu?

No. So it really is Root?

The Anbu were a special force under Naruto's command, primarily used for assassinations and even conflicts on the scale of entire ninja villages.

Root, meanwhile, was the Anbu within the Anbu. Led and commanded by Shimura Danzō, it specialized in dealing with the ninja village's even darker affairs...

"Miss, please come with us."

An icy voice came from beneath a mask, and Chinatsu let out a long, helpless sigh.

Is there any room for negotiation?

Obviously not.

However, they had made a huge mistake: instead of coming within the first few days after the Night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre, they had waited until now.

Chinatsu: I've pretty much finished powering up already. Coming now? You're too late!

A confident smile appeared on Chinatsu's face, and the signature three blood-red tomoe emerged in her eyes.

"Although I'd love to ask what would happen if I refused to go with you, I'm sure asking would be pointless. Well... I don't advocate violence, but that doesn't mean I can't get violent."

Chinatsu swept her three-tomoe Sharingan over the masked men around her. Though her stunningly beautiful face made that imposing declaration somewhat less intimidating, the eyes she had activated forced them to raise their guard.

The Root members exchanged glances, swiftly communicating through their eyes. As one of them lifted his foot to step forward, the Root members surrounding Chinatsu all launched their attack at once.

Standing in the center of their encirclement, Chinatsu remained motionless. Her gaze sharpened, and her Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun as she activated one of the Sharingan's most basic effects: enhancing genjutsu.

Chinatsu murmured softly.

"Genjutsu: Crimson Illusion."