[~1000 Words]
~ A few days before the Uchiha Massacre.
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Location: Evening, Uchiha household – Haruki's room, warm lamplight flickering against old wood and worn tatami mats. The scroll of the Crow Summoning Contract lay unrolled across a low table.
The room was quiet, save for the soft rustle of paper and the scratching of a brush. Haruki knelt before a large scroll, its inked names dating back generations—names of long-passed Uchiha who once commanded the skies with feathered eyes.
His father, seated cross-legged behind him, watched silently.
"You sure about this, Haruki?"
His voice was low, like the crackle of a dying campfire.
"Your mother hadn't used that scroll in years. It's not a pact to take lightly."
Haruki dipped the brush into ink and signed his name in clear strokes beside Hazuki Uchiha's.
"I know. That's why I'm doing it now."
He bit into his thumb, blood welling to the surface. The pain was brief—but the intention was deep.
"Kuchiyose Keiyaku no Sho... (Summoning Contract Seal)"
Pressing his bloodied hand to the scroll, chakra surged through the parchment. The kanji beneath his signature shimmered, glowing faintly with a red hue before fading into permanence.
A brief gust of wind swept through the open window, rustling the scroll and scattering a few stray feathers across the tatami.
"...They accepted you," his father muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Haruki nodded, feeling a shift in the air. The room smelled faintly of ink and ozone. He rolled up the contract with care.
"It's strange," Haruki said, glancing at the last name before his. "I always thought crows were just messengers or spies. "
His father sighed and stood slowly, walking over to place a hand on his shoulder.
"They were your mother's eyes beyond the battlefield. She used them to survey and also to protect… not just to strike."
A pause. "If you use them, use them wisely. Not just for war."
Haruki gave a faint smile. "I'll summon one tomorrow. Try a basic contract call."
His father smirked. "Don't be surprised if you get pecked. Crows are prideful bastards."
Haruki chuckled, the weight of the day lightening just slightly. As he tucked the scroll away in a chest beside his mother's ninjutsu notes, he whispered more to himself than anyone else:
"Then I'll earn their respect. Just like hers."
Outside, a single crow landed on the roof, silhouetted against the moon.
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Location & Time: Next Day, Uchiha household courtyard, midday.
The summer sun casts soft light through a blooming cherry tree as the scent of steaming miso and grilled vegetables fills the air.
A gentle knock echoed from the wooden gate.
"Eh?" Haruki looked up from sweeping the walkway. "Kurenai-san?"
There she stood, elegant as ever in her red mesh ensemble and flak jacket, with a soft smile tugging her lips.
"I had a mission postponed. Thought I'd drop by and meet your sister early."
She gave a warm nod. "Hope I'm not interrupting."
"No way!" came Izumi's voice from inside. She dashed out, still tying the sash of her tunic. "You're really here?!"
Haruki chuckled. "You caught us before lunch. Join us?"
Minutes later, the three of them sat cross-legged around a low table on the engawa, enjoying hot bowls of miso soup, pickled radish, and grilled rice balls wrapped in seaweed.
Izumi beamed, cheeks stuffed slightly.
"Kurenai-sensei, this is the best day ever. I thought I'd have to wait until next week!"
Kurenai laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"You're enthusiastic—good. But let's keep that energy for training too."
Haruki grinned. "You're in for it now, Izumi."
Izumi stuck out her tongue playfully before downing a sip of soup. "So, what are we starting with?"
Kurenai set her bowl aside. "I want to build a strong foundation, so today we'll work on two basic but crucial Genjutsu techniques. The first is Genjutsu: Kai—the release technique. You need to learn how to break out of illusions, not just cast them."
"That's the one where you disrupt your own chakra flow, right?" Haruki asked, brow furrowed.
"Exactly." Kurenai nodded approvingly. "Even non-genjutsu specialists need it, but for someone with Izumi's interest, it's mandatory."
Izumi straightened with wide eyes. "And the second one?"
Kurenai's expression softened. "We'll start training your chakra flow for Kasumi Jūsha no Jutsu—the Mist Servant Technique. It creates multiple illusions of yourself to confuse an enemy. It's simple in structure but tricky in timing and placement."
"Clones that aren't real?" Izumi's eyes sparkled. "That sounds cool."
"It's not about looking flashy," Kurenai said, tapping her forehead gently. "It's about misdirection. You want the enemy unsure where to look, what to strike. That's when you move."
Haruki leaned back, arms folded behind his head. "You'll be able to prank the neighbors too. Carefully, of course."
"I'm not gonna use Genjutsu for pranks!" Izumi huffed, puffing her cheeks.
"That's exactly what someone planning a prank would say," Haruki teased.
Kurenai smiled quietly at their dynamic before finishing her tea.
"We'll begin in the courtyard in half an hour. Stretch, hydrate, and bring your focus. We'll start slow but deliberate."
Izumi pumped a fist in the air. "Hai!"
As Haruki watched his sister's excitement and Kurenai's calm mentoring presence, a rare warmth filled his chest. In this moment—away from the clan meetings, the growing whispers, and the ANBU stares—it felt like the Uchiha compound still held life.
But even so… his gaze drifted upward to the rooftops, where a single ANBU mask glinted briefly in the sun before vanishing.
Just a little longer, he thought.
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