Konoha village. Uchiha clan grounds.
Three days later, in the early morning, sunlight filtered through the paper windows and into the room.
Chiya slowly opened his eyes, feeling the warmth beside him.
Mikoto was already awake, lying on her side looking at him, her eyes full of tender warmth.
When she saw him wake, she smiled faintly and said softly.
"Good morning, Chiya-nii."
Chiya reached out and pulled her into his arms, pressing a light kiss to her forehead.
"Morning, Mikoto."
Mikoto's fair cheeks flushed pink again. She gave him a gentle push.
"Time to get up. I will go prepare breakfast."
She had just started to rise when Chiya pulled her back.
"A little longer."
Chiya's voice was lazy. His fingers drifted softly through her hair.
Mikoto smiled helplessly, but did not struggle. She settled obediently against his chest.
"Does Chiya-nii have any plans today?"
Today happened to be a rest day for both of them.
If no mission came in, today would be a good day to spend entirely with Mikoto...
Before he could finish the thought, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door, followed by a knock.
"Clan Head!"
Chiya raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised.
"Fugaku? Coming to find me this early?"
He let go of Mikoto. The two got dressed and rose. Chiya stepped out of the room.
"Come in."
The courtyard gate was pulled open. Uchiha Fugaku stood at the entrance, his expression serious.
He saw Chiya and Mikoto and gave a small nod.
Chiya brought him into the living room.
"I will go prepare some tea."
Mikoto stepped quickly out of the room, leaving the space to the two of them.
Chiya gestured for Fugaku to sit.
"Coming this early, what is it?"
Fugaku took a scroll from inside his coat and placed it on the table.
"Clan Head, there is news on the matter you asked me to watch for."
Chiya's gaze moved to the scroll, a trace of curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"Oh?"
"A commission from the Land of Wind arrived at Konoha this morning."
Fugaku's voice was very low.
"One of them is about the Ancient Land of Loran."
"The Ancient Land of Loran?"
Chiya's pupils contracted slightly. He reached out, picked up the scroll, and unrolled it quickly.
The scroll detailed the contents of the commission.
The Queen of Loran was requesting Konoha to dispatch ninja to help resolve an abnormal incident within the country. The reward was generous.
Chiya's fingers tapped lightly on the table as his thoughts moved quickly.
In his memory, the Loran commission was supposed to appear during or after the Third Shinobi World War. Yet here it was, arrived early.
Could his presence and the series of actions he had taken have altered the course of certain events?
Had a new butterfly effect been set in motion?
Either way, it did not matter.
This was a place he needed to go regardless.
"Clan Head, in the notebook you gave me, you had specifically marked this as a keyword."
Fugaku continued.
"So when I saw the commission this morning, I came to notify you right away."
[Congratulations to the host. Task triggered: Intercept the Queen of Loran, Sara. Task reward: One random Kekkei Genkai.]
[Congratulations to the host. Task triggered: Resolve the Dragon Vein problem. Task reward: One Mangekyō Sharingan upgrade card. Upon successful upgrade, the Sharingan will become the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.]
Tasks had triggered?
Chiya's mind jolted.
A Kekkei Genkai!
And on top of that...
The Eternal Mangekyō?!
Chiya's breathing quickened slightly.
It seemed this trip to Loran was absolutely unavoidable.
Chiya put away the scroll, the corner of his mouth lifting faintly. He clapped Fugaku on the shoulder.
"Well done, Fugaku. I will take this commission myself."
Fugaku nodded.
"I have already registered the commission under your name. Here is the detailed file."
He pulled out a small booklet from inside his coat and handed it to Chiya.
Chiya took the booklet and flipped through it. Inside were the basic background on Loran and the specific requirements of the commission.
A few minutes later, he closed the booklet, his gaze growing thoughtful.
"Loran..."
Fugaku watched Chiya. His reaction seemed somewhat larger than the situation called for.
He hesitated a moment, then spoke.
"Clan Head, is there something special about this commission?"
Chiya smiled.
"I just think it arrived earlier than it should have."
"Earlier?"
Fugaku did not follow.
In the earlier negotiations, the Suna-nin village had agreed to repay Konoha over three years.
After one year of repayments, however, the village's finances had collapsed. With the economic damage from the war still lingering, repaying the full amount within three years was simply impossible.
So the Suna-nin village leadership had made a decision.
The reward money from commissions the village received would be temporarily handed over to Konoha for five years.
The general meaning was that every commission taken by the Suna-nin village over the next five years would be transferred to the Land of Fire, meaning Konoha.
That would offset the two remaining years of agreed reparations.
No one had expected that through this roundabout arrangement, Konoha would end up receiving the commission from the Ancient Land of Loran.
Chiya stood and walked to the window.
"Loran is remote, but it still lies within the Land of Wind's territory.
Now, during the period when we are handling the Land of Wind's commissions under our agreement, they have sent the commission to Konoha. That shows their trust in us is growing."
Fugaku reflected on this.
"That is true. Since we took over most of the Land of Wind's commissions, relations between the two countries have eased considerably."
Chiya turned to look at Fugaku.
"That is only the surface. Konoha's guard against the Suna-nin village must not be lowered."
Fugaku nodded in understanding.
How many people should be brought on this commission?
Chiya shook his head.
"None needed. This time I will act alone. Until I return, clan affairs are temporarily in your hands."
"Yes, Clan Head. I will do my best."
The two exchanged a few more words after that. Fugaku did not linger long.
"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."
Chiya watched Fugaku leave.
He sat back down at the table and studied the information on Loran carefully.
Mikoto came in carrying the tea and refreshments. Seeing how focused he was, she asked quietly.
"Chiya-nii, are you heading somewhere far?"
Chiya looked up and smiled at her.
"Yes. I need to make a trip to the Ancient Land of Loran, inside the Land of Wind."
Mikoto set the tea down on the table, a trace of worry flickering in her eyes.
"Loran... that is quite far, is it not?"
"Not too far."
Chiya took her hand and drew her down to sit beside him.
"Do not worry. I will be back before long."
Mikoto pressed her lips together, then finally gave a small nod.
"I will go help you pack."
Chiya reached up and stroked her cheek.
"There is no rush. Stay and have breakfast with me first."
The two went back to the kitchen together. Chiya helped while Mikoto cooked.
Before long, breakfast was ready.
Steaming miso soup, golden fried eggs, fish grilled just right, and freshly steamed rice.
Chiya picked up a piece of fish and held it to Mikoto's lips.
"Try it."
Mikoto's face turned pink. She opened her mouth and ate it, her eyes full of contentment.
Chiya watched her shy expression, could not help leaning closer, and pressed a light kiss to her lips.
"Fresh and sweet."
"Chiya-nii!"
Mikoto's face went even redder. She gave him a flustered glare, but could not hide the smile at the corner of her mouth.
Breakfast ended in a warm and cozy atmosphere.
Afterward, Mikoto began preparing what Chiya would need for the journey, while Chiya continued studying the information on Loran.
"The abnormal incident in Loran..."
Chiya murmured to himself.
"Could it be the Dragon Vein?"
He remembered from the original story that Loran's Dragon Vein held the power to cross time and space, though the specific details were a little hazy now.
If it really was a Dragon Vein problem, then this commission would likely be far more complex than expected.
Mikoto folded the clothes neatly and placed them in the pack, then prepared some travel rations and medicines.
"Chiya-nii, this should be enough."
Chiya put away the file and took out several sealing scrolls that Kushina had given him.
He then walked to Mikoto's side and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"Thank you for the trouble."
Mikoto leaned back against him and said softly.
"Be careful out there."
"Yes. While I am away, the Military Police Force is in your hands."
Chiya lowered his head and kissed the top of her hair.
I will be back.
Once everything was settled, Chiya changed into travel clothes and shouldered his pack.
Mikoto walked him all the way to the front door, her eyes full of reluctance.
"Go on back."
Chiya ruffled her hair.
Mikoto gave a small nod and watched his figure disappear at the end of the street before she slowly closed the door.
Chiya left the Uchiha clan grounds and headed straight for Konoha's gate.
Along the way, he thought through his plans for the trip to Loran.
If things were as he suspected and the abnormality in Loran was connected to the Dragon Vein, this mission could bring some unexpected developments.
'I wonder which character from the future I will run into...'
'If it is Naruto, there might be some useful information to gain.'
When he reached Konoha's gate, the ninja on guard bowed.
Chiya gave a nod, stepped forward, and left Konoha behind.
He set off along the main road, his pace gradually building, until he became nothing more than a blur and vanished into the forest ahead.
At the same time, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood at the window, his brow furrowed as he gazed in the direction Chiya had gone.
He murmured quietly.
'Uchiha Chiya, what exactly are you planning?'
The ANBU ninja beside him asked.
"Hokage, should we send someone to follow him?"
Hiruzen thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"No need. Since he is leaving the village under the name of a mission, we have no grounds to interfere."
He turned and walked back to his desk.
"Continue to keep a close watch on movements in the Land of Wind."
"Yes!"
Hiruzen picked up his pipe and took a long draw, his gaze complex as it drifted toward the direction of the village gate.
...
Chiya moved at a swift pace, cutting through dense forest and across wide open plains.
His speed was exceptional, and by midday he was already close to the border of the Land of Wind.
Chiya stopped at a high point and looked out over the desert ahead.
Under the blazing sun, the sea of sand seemed to ripple with scorching heat, stretching endlessly in every direction.
The sand and wind in this part of the Land of Wind's desert were no small matter.
"Loran..."
Chiya opened his map and confirmed his direction.
"Rest for now. It is too hot to travel."
He found a sheltered spot out of the wind and ate some travel rations.
He waited until the sun had pulled back.
The night breeze came, carrying away much of the heat.
Only then did Chiya rise. He looked up at the sea of stars overhead, his thoughts drifting far.
If he truly could make contact with the power of the Dragon Vein...
A flash of excitement crossed his eyes.
Perhaps he could glimpse fragments of the future. Or even find the key to changing certain things.
At that thought, he could not help but clench his fist.
Since arriving in this world, he had been working constantly to change the fate of the Uchiha, to change the future of Konoha.
Now, the Loran commission might become a new turning point.
The night deepened. Chiya closed his eyes to rest, but he did not let his guard down entirely.
The desert at night was not safe. Wild beasts or enemies could appear at any moment.
Suddenly, a faint rustling sound caught his attention.
Chiya's three-tomoe Sharingan activated in an instant.
He called out in a low voice.
From the darkness, a figure holding a kunai slowly stepped into view.
She was slender with refined features, her hair tied back in a sharp, clean style.
In the moonlight, she looked as if wrapped in thin gauze, beautiful and formidable all at once.
The way she moved revealed a graceful line along her back, exposed to the open air.
Pakura.
The two looked at each other and both froze.
"Why is it you?"
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