By the riverside, over a hundred miles away from the Uchiha Clan's ancestral grounds.
Kei Yamanaka sat cross-legged before a campfire, expertly turning two golden-brown roasted rabbits and four plump grilled fish over the flames.
Hikaku Uchiha sat beside him, hugging her knees to her chest, watching intently.
Though her expression remained unchanged, occasional drooling and an unwavering gaze still betrayed her inner longing.
Back when they had arrived at the Uchiha Clan's prison cells,
to avoid interfering with future events,
Kei left behind three Sage Art Wood Clones—one pair to absorb the memories of the two deceased men and continue impersonating them,
while the last one played the role of Hikaku inside the prison cells.
With his current Sage Chakra reserves mixed with Natural Energy,
these Sage Art Wood Clones wouldn't vanish for months, as long as there was no prolonged intense battle.
According to the memory left behind by Hikaku within the Shishien (Transcriptive Seal) on Yahiko's body,
roughly twenty days from now, the Uchiha would face coordinated attacks from both the Senju Clan and the Sarutobi Clan. At that time, she too would be sealed away by these two clans together.
Crossing the endless river of time just to meet again one day...
Thankfully, while sealed, Hikaku's mind completely halted, so she wouldn't experience the passage of time or feel loneliness and emptiness.
Otherwise...
Kei shook those troubling thoughts from his mind.
From the supply cache inside the Infinite Armory, he took out special seasoning for grilled meat and fish, evenly sprinkling it over the already-cooked fish.
The fire roasted the spices into an alluring aroma.
Hikaku turned her head, gazing intently at Kei with wide eyes, silently pleading to know why they couldn't eat yet.
"The rabbit needs a bit longer. Careful—it's hot, and watch out for the bones too."
Kei handed her a skewer of grilled fish.
Still in the form of a little girl, Hikaku carefully accepted the fish, swallowed hard, then blew gently on the hot meat until it cooled down. Only then did she cautiously take a small bite.
Crispy outside, tender within—the fish meat was rich with unfamiliar spices she'd never tasted before...
Clutching the grilled fish nearly as long as her forearm, Hikaku dove in and ate quickly.
Fish bones, which would have irritated most people, were no bother to her at all. With a small pout, she neatly spit the cleaned fish bones onto the bluish rock beside her, while the flesh vanished into her mouth.
In less than five minutes, she had finished the whole fish, turning her hungry eyes back to Kei like a waiting puppy.
"When you feel full, stop eating. You'll get three meals a day—you won't go hungry."
Kei glanced at his own fish, which he hadn't even eaten a quarter of, and said playfully, as if speaking to a child, handing her both remaining fish.
"...Mm."
Hikaku murmured softly.
Kei raised his eyebrows, smirking slightly.
Good, good!
Starting to talk now, huh?
We must be getting close to seamless communication!
After finishing off all the grilled fish and two plump roasted hares,
No surprise there.
For years, Hikaku Uchiha had been trained as a weapon and never got to eat much real food. Now, she was stuffed.
The little girl awkwardly wrapped her arms around her slightly rounded belly.
Half-reclining on a large bluish rock beside the riverbank, she stared blankly at the drifting white clouds above.
A gentle breeze brushed through her hair, carrying the faint scent of grass and wildflowers.
The babbling stream and cheerful birdsong intertwined, allowing her tense body to gradually relax.
"Huff…huff…"
With steady breaths, Hikaku Uchiha, for the first time in ages, drifted into a peaceful sleep.
"Sweet dreams."
The mandala flower silently blooming in Kei Yamanaka's palm quickly withered, turning into dust that scattered away.
[Sage Art: Wood Release] – conjuring hallucinogenic plants, he subtly nullified the Mangekyō Sharingan using scent-based genjutsu.
This prevented the mental strain of forcing illusions upon her.
And allowed Hikaku Uchiha to ease her tense nerves.
Stepping forward to stand before Hikaku Uchiha, Kei Yamanaka knelt and lifted her into a bridal carry.
With the flying ability of Sage Mode activated, the pair sped toward the nearest city.
They pulled off a quiet, Robin Hood-style raid on the Daimyō's treasure vault.
Over the course of one month, Kei Yamanaka and Hikaku Uchiha wandered through the ninja world of the Warring States era.
Shopping, playing games, enjoying themselves…
Immersing themselves in the era's folk culture while savoring peaceful days away from battle.
It was obvious how much more cheerful Hikaku Uchiha had become.
A week prior, the massive battle between the Uchiha Clan and the Senju and Sarutobi Clans had finally concluded.
After all three sides paid a heavy price.
The Senju and Sarutobi Clans had finally managed to seal away the Uchiha Clan's ultimate weapon, "Unnamed."
Kei Yamanaka and Hikaku Uchiha also concluded this journey.
Slowly beginning their return trip back toward where they came from.
"The soft tapping of rain against the window... the storm still rages outside. Deep in your heart, are you afraid? These many years, I've never truly found a home..."
Hikaku Uchiha hummed the song taught to her by Kei Yamanaka.
Plucking colorful flowers along the roadside one by one.
Once she had gathered a full handful, she tied the bouquet together with vines and proudly presented it to Kei Yamanaka.
"Very beautiful, thank you."
Kei Yamanaka accepted the bouquet, lightly sniffing the blossoms, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners.
In both lives, he'd only ever given flowers to others—this was the first time someone had given him one.
"How long will I sleep?"
"Their seal is actually pretty good. For you, it'll feel just like falling asleep naturally."
"When I open my eyes again, can I see you right away?"
"It might take a while. There'll be a dark-skinned guy who helps you undo the seal. Then he'll ask you to help take control of Kiri so we can stage a conflict against my village. Part of it is because of..."
"Trouble."
"Yeah, definitely a bit of trouble involved. But some friction is normal. Eventually, the ninja world needs to come together as one."
"Fish, rabbits, deer, boars, sheep, cows..."
"Fine, fine. I'll make sure you get all of them, and you can eat to your heart's content."
"You... swear it."
"What about trust between people?"
"Dropped to zero. Ever since you tricked me into wearing those weird clothes."
"Tch~ Alright then. I swear, once the war between Konoha and the Mist ends, I'll prepare tons of delicious food for Hikaku. And if I don't..."
"I'll hit you. Hit you really hard."
Before Kei Yamanaka could finish his oath, Hikaku Uchiha interrupted with her own threat.
Her serious little face was utterly adorable.
"Okay."
Kei Yamanaka reached out and tousled Hikaku's hair.
Hikaku stepped forward, leaning against his chest, closing her eyes as she softly murmured.
"...Thank you. Thank you."
She had never imagined that someone like her could one day bask in sunlight, breathe freely, and run without restraint, chasing those dazzling colors that made her heart race...
"Here."
Sage chakra surged within Kei Yamanaka, forming a miniature Wood Clone the size of a thumb on his fingertip, complete with a tiny flower atop its crown.
This [Sage Art Wood Clone] would soon deplete its energy and become nothing more than an ordinary wooden carving after transporting Hikaku Uchiha forcefully by using the Flying Thunder God Technique to replace the previously sealed [Sage Art Wood Clone].
"I'll wait for you—for a hundred years, a thousand years… I'll always, always wait for you to come back..."
Hikaku Uchiha cradled the tiny Wood Clone in her palm. Beneath its faint floral scent, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
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