The deeper they went—
The darker it became.
Trees thinned.
Light faded.
And the stench—
Rot.
Decay.
Something… sweet.
Sickening.
The morning sun—
Should have brought warmth.
Instead—
An invisible curtain blocked everything.
The forest remained dim.
Oppressive.
Suffocating.
Uncle Jiu's gaze fixed on the compass.
The needle trembled violently.
"Earlier…"
He spoke casually.
"You said your surname is Uchiha."
"It's quite unique."
"I've never heard of it."
"Where did you train?"
"Overseas?"
Uchiha Mo didn't hesitate.
"Our clan has lived in seclusion for generations."
"We avoid worldly affairs."
"But now—"
"Chaos spreads."
"Evil runs rampant."
"Our elders sent us out."
"To help."
Fluent.
Natural.
Perfect.
Uncle Jiu's eyes flickered.
Three-character surnames—
Rare.
Too rare.
And these two—
Were not novices.
That killing intent…
Came from more than spirits.
There were humans behind it.
But what puzzled him most—
Was Hideki.
Silent.
Observing.
Understanding everything—
Yet speaking little.
Strange.
"I see."
Uncle Jiu didn't press further.
But his suspicion—
Didn't fade.
Behind him—
Qiu Sheng blurted:
"Then where is your clan—"
"Qiu Sheng."
Uncle Jiu cut him off instantly.
Too direct.
Mo only smiled.
And said nothing.
Answer enough.
The compass needle—
Spun wildly.
They had arrived.
"Be careful."
"This is the corpse-nurturing ground."
———
The terrain changed.
Blackened soil.
Withered shrubs.
And the smell—
Death.
The compass—
Lost control.
Spinning.
Endlessly.
Uncle Jiu stopped.
His expression darkened.
"We're here."
"The corpse energy…"
"…is overwhelming."
Uchiha Hideki scanned the area.
An open pit.
Graves—
Dug open.
Dark holes—
Yawning.
The soil—
Stained deep red.
Uchiha Mo narrowed his eyes.
Then—
Spoke.
"We're late."
"The one behind this…"
"Is gone."
"These—"
"Are just guards."
The moment his words fell—
The ground exploded.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Figures burst out—
Zombies.
White zombies.
Green zombies.
And—
One step forward—
A towering figure.
Gray fur.
Metal-like skin.
A hairy zombie.
More than ten.
They spread out.
A semicircle.
Encircling them.
———
Uncle Jiu's heart sank.
This—
Was worse than expected.
One hairy zombie—
Was already dangerous.
Now—
More than ten enemies.
"Master…"
Qiu Sheng's voice trembled.
Uncle Jiu acted instantly.
Glutinous rice.
Talismans.
"Back-to-back!"
"Defense first!"
"Don't let them split us!"
But inside—
Even he knew.
This situation—
Was dangerous.
———
Then—
He glanced sideways.
At Mo.
Uchiha Mo stared at the hairy zombie.
His expression—
Grim.
Then—
A bitter smile.
"Hideki…"
His voice lowered.
"…this is bad."
"That hairy one…"
"I'm not sure I can handle it."
"And you…"
"I know you're cautious…"
"Not suited for battle…"
"But now…"
"If I don't make it back…"
"The clan's crisis…"
"You must handle it."
"You understand…"
"The Uchiha's future…"
"May rest on you."
———
Silence.
Hideki froze.
Fear.
Hesitation.
Pressure.
His voice trembled.
"Mo… don't say that…"
"I… I can't…"
"How could I…"
"The clan…"
"I don't understand anything…"
A perfect performance.
A young man—
Crushed by responsibility.
Uncle Jiu believed it instantly.
"Don't talk like that!"
"We'll find a way!"
"This isn't hopeless!"
———
But ahead—
The hairy zombie stepped forward.
Slow.
Heavy.
Each step—
Like a hammer.
The ground trembled.
Its eyes—
Cold.
Dead.
Locked onto them.
The air—
Thickened.
The encirclement—
Tightened.
And the battle—
Was about to begin.