Before the words had even fully left her mouth—
Uchiha Hikari's eyes shimmered once again with a crimson glow, the three tomoe of her Sharingan swirling into existence. But this time, they did not settle—instead, they spun faster, merging into the shape of a great windmill.
Mangekyō Sharingan.
The moment he saw the scarlet gleam in Hikari's eyes, Sarutobi Hiruzen reacted like a seasoned warrior sensing danger—his chakra surged instantly. "So you really—"
Before he could finish the sentence—
The world twisted.
...
Tsukuyomi—one of the ultimate genjutsu of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
It had once been Uchiha Itachi's signature technique in the original story.
Within the illusionary world shaped by Tsukuyomi, every factor—time, space, even mass—was under the caster's absolute control. Under normal circumstances, escaping was nearly impossible. Only those who possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan themselves (with superior ocular power), individuals with extraordinary mental strength, or unique cases like jinchūriki (who held two chakra sources) had any chance of breaking free.
Hiruzen, in his prime, had been hailed as the "Professor," a shinobi who once dominated the battlefield with mastery over all five nature transformations. Even now, in his old age, his willpower remained formidable. If this had been the original Hikari, facing him in a fair fight with both prepared, she might not have been able to drag him into a genjutsu so easily.
But—
After the fusion of two souls, Hikari's ocular power was no longer what it used to be.
In the current shinobi world, there may still have been a handful of people capable of resisting her Tsukuyomi—but the aged and weakened Third Hokage was not one of them.
As her pupils pulsed with power—
A mist-like haze enveloped the world.
Everything—Naruto, the apartment, the Anbu stationed outside, even the entirety of Konoha—vanished like bubbles in water, leaving behind only an endless expanse of mirror-like ice. Beneath it lay dark, unfathomable waters, while above, Hikari and Hiruzen stood facing each other from dozens of meters apart.
Hiruzen immediately raised his hands to form seals, but after several failed attempts to dispel the genjutsu, his expression darkened.
"Miss Uchiha from the Warring States Era... are you truly determined to make an enemy of Konoha?"
"Hah."
Hikari laughed, her voice echoing from every direction within the frozen space.
"Stop using Konoha as a shield, as if you alone represent the will of the village."
"I already told you—I have no intention of fighting you. I just wanted a private conversation. Whether you believe me or not, I have met Namikaze Minato. And from him, I learned everything that has happened in Konoha over the years—from the feud between Hashirama and Madara, to the Nine-Tails attack four years ago."
"He and Uzumaki Kushina did sacrifice themselves willingly for the village. But that doesn't give you the right to trample on the dignity of the dead."
"My demands are simple. Just two things: Silence the slander. And give Naruto the treatment befitting the child of heroes. As for his identity as the Fourth's son, it doesn't need to be made public—but you'd better remember it in your heart."
"This isn't a negotiation. It's an order."
"Of course, you could gamble your title as Hokage and fight me to the death. But first, ask yourself—do you really stand a chance?"
Hikari tapped a finger against her eye, her lips curling into a sneer.
"Against these eyes... you are powerless."
"..."
Hiruzen clenched his fists.
But he was still a Kage. After the initial shock, he gradually steadied himself and spoke in a low voice:
"Miss Uchiha Hikari, if you truly met Minato, then you should know how much he cared for this village. If your actions push Konoha to the brink of collapse... that's not an outcome he would have wanted."
"I. Said. It. Again."
Hikari's gaze darkened, each word sharp and cold.
"I'm not negotiating with you."
"..."
"Stalling won't help either. Time flows differently here. Even if you spend an entire day in this space, only an instant will pass in the real world. Your men won't make it in time to save you."
"..."
A long silence.
Finally, Hiruzen let out a sigh, his tone softening just a bit.
"...You must know that the Mangekyō Sharingan can control the Tailed Beasts. Four years ago, it was—"
"I've heard about the Nine-Tails incident from Minato himself."
Hikari caught the hesitation in Hiruzen's words and offered him a way out.
"According to his eyewitness account, the one who controlled the Nine-Tails was a masked man with the Mangekyō Sharingan, who claimed to be Uchiha Madara. But since even Minato never saw his true face, the identity remains unconfirmed."
"You can send people to investigate Madara's movements after he left Konoha. You might find some clues."
"I've said all I needed to say. The path you choose from here on... is yours."
...
In the real world, the exchange inside the Tsukuyomi lasted only a few seconds.
Little Naruto stood there, confused, watching as Hikari and Hiruzen locked eyes for a moment before both seemed to zone out.
But the Anbu outside couldn't stay still.
"Alert! Those eyes—she's targeting the Third Hokage!"
"Protect the Hokage!"
With several loud bangs, the apartment windows shattered as multiple Anbu agents burst inside. One rushed to Hiruzen's side, attempting to disrupt the genjutsu by injecting chakra into him. Two others lunged toward Hikari, trying to seize her by the shoulders and restrain her.
But—
Before they could act—
Hikari, who had appeared lost in thought, suddenly moved.
Her eyes flashed as she rose from the chair in one fluid motion, her hands snapping out to grab the Anbu's wrists. With a twist of her waist, she hurled them aside like ragdolls.
BAM! CRASH!
One agent slammed into the wall; the other flipped over the table before scrambling back to his feet, drawing his blade with a wary expression.
Killing intent filled the cramped room.
Naruto shrank back in fear, while everyone else braced for an all-out fight.
Before the situation could escalate further—
Hiruzen, now freed from the genjutsu, spoke.
"Stand down."
"Lord Third...?"
The Anbu hesitated, confused.
Hiruzen took a deep breath, then forced the words out with visible difficulty:
"...Miss Uchiha Hikari... means no harm."
His gaze shifted to Hikari, a mix of emotions swirling in his eyes.
"Miss Hikari... I will arrange for your requests to be carried out as soon as possible. Until then—"
"Until then, I'll stay here."
Hikari replied casually, as if discussing the weather.
"Consider it... fulfilling a guardian's duty on behalf of an old friend."