The faint light of dawn filtered through the bamboo blinds of the private room on the second floor of the tavern, casting mottled patterns across the air.
Chiya was already awake. His black Hokage robe was casually draped over the back of a chair, leaving him dressed only in a simple dark inner garment.
Beside him, Tsunade was still fast asleep. Her long golden hair spread across the pillow like silk woven from sunlight.
Her smooth forehead was flawless as jade, her sleeping face peaceful, her breathing slow and steady.
She looked nothing like the decisive and commanding Lady Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin, who usually dominated the battlefield.
Only the slight curve of her lips, along with the tiny white petal-like marks decorating her rosy lips, hinted at the lingering afterglow of last night's indulgence and complete relaxation.
Chiya quietly watched her for a moment, and a trace of warmth, almost impossible to notice, flashed through his deep eyes.
He rose with the utmost care, gently pulling the quilt back over her before tucking in the corners to make sure not even the slightest chill could reach her.
His fingertips accidentally brushed a loose strand of hair resting against her cheek. It felt soft and warm.
He paused before finally reaching out.
Using the back of his fingers, he gently caressed her smooth, delicate cheek. The gesture carried a tenderness that even he himself had yet to fully understand.
After finishing everything, he lingered no longer.
He silently left the room and softly closed the door behind him.
Downstairs, Mei Terumi sat at a square table with one hand supporting her forehead as she dozed off.
She was still wearing a simple dark ninja outfit, clearly having been summoned so suddenly that she hadn't even had time to change.
Her brown hair was slightly messy, and her usually alluring yet sharp emerald eyes were tightly shut. Her long curled eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyelids, revealing just how exhausted she was.
She had been "invited" out of her warm bed at the crack of dawn by one of Chiya's Shadow Clones before she even had the chance to ask why.
She had only been told there was an order for her to report immediately to the tavern inside the village.
Just as she was drifting in and out of sleep, her head nearly dropping onto the table, the faint sound of footsteps coming down the stairs startled her awake.
She immediately looked up and saw Chiya calmly walking downstairs.
Her drowsiness vanished in an instant, replaced by instinctive respect and nervousness.
She quickly stood up, straightened her back, and subconsciously adjusted clothes that didn't need adjusting.
She gave a slight bow, her voice still carrying a trace of hoarseness from just waking up, but her tone was completely serious.
"Hokage-sama!"
Chiya's gaze briefly rested on her before he nodded in acknowledgment.
Walking to the table, he calmly instructed, "Tsunade is exhausted and still resting. Stay here and look after her. Make sure no one disturbs her before she wakes up. If she needs anything after she wakes, do your best to help her."
Mei Terumi lowered her eyes respectfully.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I understand."
Her voice remained steady, and her posture was beyond reproach.
However, at the moment she lowered her head, where no one could see...
A flash of frustration and irritation flickered through her beautiful emerald eyes.
She was one of the most outstanding members of Kirigakure's younger generation, even proudly calling herself the future star of the Hidden Mist.
Yet ever since Uchiha Chiya had brought her to Konoha, she had somehow become his "personal assistant."
She was always assigned jobs involving looking after women.
And today she had even been dragged out of bed at dawn...
Just to take care of Tsunade!
What kind of mission was this?
He was practically treating her like a maid!
Although the other party was the famous Lady Tsunade, hailed as the strongest kunoichi in the ninja world, someone worthy of everyone's admiration for both her strength and prestige...
The thought that such a legendary woman shared such an intimate relationship with Uchiha Chiya stirred an indescribably complicated feeling within Mei Terumi.
It was a strange mix of disappointment, unwillingness, and even a faint trace of jealousy.
The lofty, almost idol-like image she had always held of Tsunade now seemed to have taken on an entirely different color.
She secretly pouted and grumbled inwardly.
'That damned Uchiha Chiya... Is he abusing his authority just because he's the Hokage? Even Lady Tsunade... Hmph!'
Chiya either failed to notice the emotions surging through Mei Terumi's heart, or simply didn't care.
Once everything had been arranged, he disappeared from the tavern entrance in a blur.
Only Mei Terumi remained behind, silently sulking in the empty first-floor hall.
After leaving the tavern, Chiya did not return to the Hokage Building.
Instead, he left Konoha, his figure turning into a faint afterimage as he sped toward his destination at astonishing speed.
According to the ancient notebook recovered from the Sarutobi Clan's secret chamber the previous night, together with his overnight comparison of ancient and modern maps, the place where the "Uchiha Weapon" had been sealed was most likely hidden within a series of canyons bordering the southeastern edge of the Land of Fire and an unnamed wasteland.
Although Chiya's knowledge of the so-called Uchiha Weapon remained incomplete, the central picture had become much clearer.
She possessed the Uchiha Clan's unique dojutsu known as Yachihoko. Because of its overwhelming power, she had been raised as nothing more than a weapon by her own clan.
Yet because that power was impossible to control and carried terrifying consequences, she ultimately became someone both her own clan and outsiders feared.
With the silent approval, or even active support, of certain factions within the Uchiha Clan, the Senju and Sarutobi Clans joined forces to create the powerful Three-Phase Seal.
Uchiha Hikari, together with her dangerous power, was sealed away completely.
Even her existence was deliberately erased from history, leaving behind only scattered fragments of forgotten legends.
Chiya remembered this Uchiha Weapon.
If he recalled correctly from his previous life, her name had been Uchiha Hikari.
As Chiya raced across forests and mountain ranges, he continued organizing the information in his mind.
Even after two hours of traveling at full speed, the enormous reserves of chakra within him had barely been depleted, though his concentration never wavered.
Finally, an immense barren canyon stretched out before him.
The place was completely deserted. Even wild beasts rarely ventured here. Only the howling wind passed through the jagged rocks, producing mournful echoes.
Following the directions recorded in the notebook and the descriptions of the chakra veins, Chiya carefully sensed every subtle irregularity in the surrounding environment.
At last, he stopped before an inconspicuous depression hidden in the shadow of the canyon wall.
The rock face looked no different from the surrounding cliffs, its surface weathered by countless years. Yet Chiya's extraordinary perception detected an incredibly faint energy fluctuation, one that had nearly become one with the stone itself.
Taking a deep breath, he began forming hand seals.
The sequence was ancient and extraordinarily complex, entirely different from the ninjutsu system he normally used. It was the technique he had repeatedly studied and deduced from the fragmented Uchiha manuscript the previous night, created specifically to detect and activate the outer interface of the Three-Phase Seal.
When the final seal was completed, he slowly pressed his palm against the cold rock wall.
The vast, refined chakra within his body flowed into the stone like a gentle stream, following a precise rhythm and path with extreme care.
At first, the rock wall showed no reaction.
But Chiya wasn't discouraged. After all, so many years had passed.
He continued supplying chakra at a steady rate while subtly adjusting its nature and fluctuations.
About fifteen minutes later, the section of the rock wall beneath his palm finally began to change before his eyes.
The rough stone surface gradually revealed a pale purple circular sealing array composed of countless intricate runes.
The center of the array shone with the brightest light, while its outer edge pulsed as though it were breathing.
The entire formation radiated an ancient, obscure, yet overwhelming sealing power that made even the surrounding air feel heavy.
Chiya's eyes sharpened as he increased his chakra output.
The purple array blazed with light, and the runes began flowing and rearranging themselves as though they had come to life.
Then, the rock wall at the center of the formation became translucent, rippling like the surface of water.
Within the rippling space...
A small figure was slowly "released" from inside the rock wall before gently descending onto the open ground in front of Chiya.
It was a young girl.
She wore a blue dress, with bandages wrapped around her feet and lower legs, while shackles remained fastened around her ankles.
Her long black hair extended past her waist, cascading smoothly down her back.
It made her exposed skin appear exceptionally fair, almost translucent from never seeing sunlight.
Her delicate features were as flawless as a doll's, with long eyelashes resting over her closed eyes.
Her expression was so peaceful that she seemed to be in the deepest sleep, completely untouched by the passage of time.
Uchiha Hikari.
He had finally found her.
She was the "weapon" of the Uchiha Clan that Chiya had been searching for, sealed away for countless years.
Uchiha Hikari.
She lay there silently without the slightest trace of chakra, looking like nothing more than a lifeless work of art.
Yet Chiya could clearly sense the astonishing and dangerous power hidden within that seemingly fragile body, as well as behind those tightly closed eyelids.
The dust of history had finally been swept away.
A forgotten existence had once again returned beneath the light of the sun.
Chiya slowly walked over and crouched beside the sleeping girl, studying her with a complicated expression.
Undoing the Three-Phase Seal would be anything but easy. Forcing it open could trigger the seal's backlash, destroy Uchiha Hikari, or cause her to lose control.
He needed a safer approach.
Perhaps it would require combining the Uchiha Clan's secret techniques with extraordinary chakra control...
Or perhaps...
It would require even the slightest subconscious cooperation from the girl herself.
He extended a finger and gently touched the center of Uchiha Hikari's forehead, carefully sending an extremely gentle thread of chakra inside to examine the seal and confirm her condition.
The feedback reaching his fingertip was cold and unyielding, as though he had touched eternal ice.
The instant his chakra reached deep within Uchiha Hikari's forehead, it encountered unimaginable resistance.
It wasn't a simple chakra barrier.
It was an intricate, multilayered sealing system.
The true core of the Three-Phase Seal.
It resembled a living fortress slumbering in silence, displaying an overwhelming rejection toward all outside intrusion. It even emitted a faint backlash, warning anyone who attempted to force their way inside.
Chiya immediately withdrew his chakra, his brows tightly furrowed as he stared at the peacefully sleeping girl.
The situation was even more troublesome than he had expected.
The Three-Phase Seal truly lived up to its reputation.
It had not only sealed Uchiha Hikari's body and power, but seemingly trapped her consciousness in the deepest state of suspended animation as well.
Even if he somehow succeeded in breaking it by force, the chances were incredibly slim.
The most likely outcome would be a violent backlash from the seal.
Either the sealed person would be completely destroyed...
Or the terrifying power within her would spiral completely out of control.
Neither result was acceptable.
"It needs a key... or a specific 'resonance.'"
Chiya muttered quietly, calculation flashing through his eyes.
According to the scattered clues left in the fragmented manuscript and ancient notebook, a seal of this level usually possessed a hidden backdoor or a special condition for release.
It could require bloodline resonance.
It could require a specific sequence of curse marks.
Or it might require the faintest response from the sealed person's subconscious.
Trying to force it open blindly was the worst possible choice.
Nor could he leave Uchiha Hikari alone in this desolate canyon.
Although the seal had stabilized after his initial activation, there was no guarantee that unexpected problems wouldn't arise.
Bringing her back to Konoha, where she would remain entirely under his control, was the safest option.
...
Meanwhile, inside the private room on the second floor of the tavern in Konoha...
Tsunade's long eyelashes fluttered gently before she slowly opened her eyes.
The slight headache from her hangover and physical exhaustion made her instinctively rub her temples, though the fatigue was accompanied by a rare sense of relaxation and laziness.
Looking around, she found that Chiya was already gone.
Only the faint lingering scent within the bedding proved he had been there the previous night.
She propped herself up, allowing the quilt to slide down and reveal her smooth shoulders.
The sun was already high in the sky outside the window.
After getting dressed and casually tidying her slightly messy golden hair, she opened the door and walked downstairs.
The first-floor hall was completely empty except for Mei Terumi, who sat at a table with her chin resting in one hand as she stared blankly out the window. Her face clearly showed boredom, frustration, and lingering resentment.
Hearing footsteps, Mei Terumi immediately put away her expression, stood up, and resumed her respectful demeanor.
"Lady Tsunade, you're awake."
Tsunade paused slightly when she saw Mei Terumi.
She remembered the young ninja from Kirigakure.
After all, she was one of the shinobi Chiya had brought back from outside.
Still, it was strange that she was here.
"It's you, Mei Terumi. Why are you here?"
Mei Terumi secretly cursed Uchiha Chiya several more times in her heart while maintaining a polite smile.
"Hokage-sama instructed me this morning to wait here and take care of you after you woke up."
"Chiya?"
Raising an eyebrow, Tsunade walked over to the table, poured herself a cup of water, and casually asked, "Where is he? What's he busy with this time?"
"Hokage-sama left immediately after giving his instructions. He didn't say where he was going."
Mei Terumi answered honestly while silently adding,
'He's definitely off doing something important while dumping me here to play babysitter!'
Tsunade nodded.
She had long since grown accustomed to Chiya appearing and disappearing without warning.
Taking a sip of water, her gaze casually swept over Mei Terumi, and she could easily sense the girl's suppressed reluctance and faint resistance.
Someone like Tsunade immediately guessed the reason.
She found it rather amusing, though she couldn't be bothered pointing it out.
Setting down her cup, she stood up.
"Thank you for your hard work. I don't need anyone looking after me anymore. Go take care of your own business."
Mei Terumi felt as though she had just been granted a royal pardon.
She immediately bowed.
"Yes, Lady Tsunade. I'll be taking my leave."
With that, she almost ran out of the tavern, as though staying even one second longer would somehow drag her into more trouble.
Watching her leave, Tsunade shook her head and laughed softly.
"That little brat... Who knows what she's saying about me in her head."
Still, she paid the incident little mind.
Compared to Mei Terumi's minor complaints, she was far more concerned about whether Chiya might encounter any danger on whatever errand had taken him away.
"I'd better wait for you at the village gate."
With that thought, Tsunade instantly disappeared, using the Body Flicker Technique to head toward Konoha's entrance.