As operatives of Root, the two assassins were not ones to waste words. Their objective was clear.
Without hesitation, they leaped from the tree branch, aiming straight for Uchiha Tunan.
Just as they descended, Uchiha Tunan abruptly raised his head, revealing his scarlet Sharingan.
"Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique!"
However, the two were prepared for this. The moment Uchiha Tunan raised his head, they instinctively shut their eyes.
"Tch." Uchiha Tunan clenched his teeth in frustration.
As they landed, they activated Body Flicker Technique, their figures vanishing in a blur.
In an instant, they flanked Uchiha Tunan from both sides. Their tantō blades gleamed under the stormy sky as they thrust toward his waist.
"Schlick—"
Blood splattered.
Uchiha Tunan's eyes widened, his mouth opening as blood gushed out. His body convulsed, then slumped lifelessly.
Thunder rumbled overhead. Jagged bolts of lightning split the sky, illuminating the battlefield in an apocalyptic glow.
The two assassins exhaled in relief, believing the mission was complete.
But then—
"Coo—"
"Coo—"
A chorus of doves echoed from the darkness of the forest. Their cries carried a strange urgency.
In the thick shadows, countless pairs of glowing red eyes emerged—Sharingan, staring hungrily.
Kamiya Kazuki's breath hitched.
"Th-this… all of them have Sharingan?!"
Before they could react, a searing pain shot through their abdomens. Blood spurted from their lips.
Their gazes dropped in horror.
Uchiha Tunan—his head twisted a full 180 degrees—stared at them coldly. His Sharingan spun ominously.
"They're starving. I'll have to trouble you both."
In the next instant, Uchiha Tunan's body burst apart, as if it had been nothing more than an inflated illusion.
From within, a flock of white doves erupted, scattering into the stormy sky.
The two assassins gasped—realizing, in horror, that their blades had stabbed into each other.
Blood dripped relentlessly from their weapons, pooling into the mud below.
They turned their heads slowly, their vision swimming.
At the edge of the cliff, the doves reassembled—merging, reforming into Uchiha Tunan.
This time, there was no trace of desperation in his expression. He stood pristine, untouched by dirt, holding an umbrella as if he had never been part of the fight at all.
The two assassins' eyes widened in disbelief.
Their vision blurred. Their thoughts scattered.
And then—everything shattered.
The false memories, the desperate chase, the illusion of victory—all crumbled away.
Reality snapped into place.
The truth was far more terrifying.
The moment they opened the door in the inn, thinking they had caught Uchiha Tunan off guard—he had already cast his Sharingan Genjutsu.
They never even closed their eyes.
They only believed they had.
From that moment, every action they took—every jutsu they cast—was merely an illusion they thought was real.
In truth, their bodies had long been under Tunan's complete control.
Under his command, they had wasted their chakra casting large-scale illusions.
They had blindly walked out of town, their bodies no longer their own.
And now, at this cliff's edge, they had unknowingly killed each other.
Kamiya Kazuki gasped for breath, blood spilling from his lips.
Uchiha Tunan turned toward them, his Sharingan spinning hypnotically.
He smiled—polite, yet chilling.
"Back at the village gates, I had already placed a subtle hypnosis on you two."
His voice was soft, almost kind.
"You were so wary of my Genjutsu that you never thought to question reality itself."
A faint chuckle.
"That's the thing about illusions—you only see what I allow you to see."
His fingers twitched.
"But I have an even better technique."
At that moment, Uchiha Tunan activated Secret Art: Beast Bite.
The doves lurking in the forest screeched in unison.
Their bodies swelled grotesquely, their once-soft feathers turning into black, razor-sharp metallic blades.
Their beaks hardened into scythe-like hooks.
And then—they attacked.
The screams of the dying assassins echoed through the mountains.
And soon after, silence.
---
The storm passed quickly. The dark clouds dispersed, and the golden sunlight bathed the landscape in warmth.
Uchiha Tunan gazed at the sky, narrowing his eyes.
He clicked his umbrella shut, then casually let it fall over the cliff's edge.
A single white dove fluttered onto his shoulder, rubbing its head affectionately against his cheek.
Uchiha Tunan stroked its head gently, murmuring:
"Some people actually requested to experience my Genjutsu firsthand."
His lips curved into a polite, almost amused smile.
"As a junior, how could I refuse?"
The white dove nodded as if in agreement.
Another landed on his other shoulder, holding something in its beak.
Uchiha Tunan chuckled.
"Thank you, but I'm not hungry."
The dove rolled its eyes and swallowed the flesh anyway.
One by one, the doves descended upon Uchiha Tunan, flocking around him.
The rising sun bathed the horizon in crimson light—casting a blood-red glow upon the white doves.
"Let's go home."
Stretching lazily, Uchiha Tunan made his way back toward the village.
As he passed the site of the battle, he picked up the ninja pouches discarded in the mud.
With an air of mild distaste, he searched through them, taking anything of value.
Behind him, the pigeons pecked hungrily at what remained.
The sun continued to rise, melting away the morning mist.
All that remained near the cliff's edge were two Konoha forehead protectors, stained with blood.
Uchiha Tunan raised a hand.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld."
The ground softened, swallowing every last trace.
A satisfied sigh escaped his lips.
He had planned to use this particular illusion trick much later in his career.
But to his surprise, it had already come in handy.
At the village gates, he had deliberately warned the assassins about avoiding his Sharingan Genjutsu.
That warning had planted the idea in their subconscious.
So when the moment came…
They believed they had avoided the illusion.
And in the end, that false belief led them to slaughter each other with their own hands.
Uchiha Tunan's only thought?
"How predictable."