Chapter 26: Hell Viewing Technique, Nightmare
Uchiha Tonan and Uchiha Mina walked through the dark streets of Konoha, utilizing Ground Travel to slip through the village, heading toward the Uchiha clan's territory. The cool night air brushed against their faces as they moved in silence.
Suddenly, Mina stumbled. In an instant, Tonan caught her in his arms. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern flashing in his eyes.
Mina's face had turned pale. She weakly shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "Tonan-kun, my head… feels dizzy…"
Tonan placed the back of his hand on her forehead, his expression turning serious. "You're burning up. Must be from the cold river water. You should've been more careful."
"N-no," Mina stammered, trying to explain, but her thoughts were already clouded. The dizziness worsened, and everything felt distant. Then, without warning, Tonan pulled her closer, his grip tightening, and their faces drew nearer.
In that moment, under the streetlight's dim glow, they kissed.
At that exact moment, a figure leaped down from a rooftop, his black cloak fluttering in the air. An Anbu. He observed the scene for a moment, his eyes narrowing.
"Are all kids so… precocious these days?" the Anbu muttered, shaking his head before vanishing into the shadows, clearly uninterested in the affection.
As soon as the Anbu was gone, Tonan let go of Mina, but her head was spinning. The dizziness had only worsened. Still, the two continued their journey, not far from the Uchiha compound now. They had to be cautious—Anbu patrols were frequent, and they had to avoid detection.
Tonan grinned, a predatory glint in his eyes. Lifting Mina by the waist with ease, he blinked, activating the Sharingan in his eyes. The white pigeons perched nearby instantly responded, their own Sharingan eyes glowing with a crimson hue. With the added precision of his Byakugan, Tonan could see the patrollers' positions clearly, their movements frozen in his vision.
Like a shadow, Tonan dashed across the streets, evading every patrol with deft twists and turns. Finally, they arrived at the clan compound undetected. He carried Mina into the courtyard and glanced at the dead kitten lying in the yard, a brief flash of something unreadable in his eyes. Without hesitation, he carried Mina into the house.
Once inside, Tonan laid her down on the bed. His eyes shifted momentarily, and he used the Byakugan to map out her chakra pathways. He then pressed a finger firmly into one of her pressure points.
Mina's eyes snapped open. The Sharingan, now three tomoe spinning wildly, filled her vision.
"Genjutsu – Hell Viewing Technique."
The world around her seemed to shudder. The night sky was clouded over, the moon hidden by thick, oppressive clouds. A thunderclap echoed across the sky, shaking the ground beneath her feet. It was then that Mina realized she was no longer in her room.
Where am I? Her heart raced. Wasn't I just with Tonan-kun? What happened?
"Why can't I remember anything?" she muttered to herself, smacking her head lightly, trying to clear the fog in her mind.
The rain outside pattered incessantly against the windows, the noise drowning out everything else. A chill ran down Mina's spine. A strange, foreboding sensation gripped her as she noticed a shadow moving just outside the window.
The figure was dark and indistinct, only visible during brief flashes of lightning. Its presence sent a cold shiver through her.
Tap, tap…
Mina's breath caught in her throat as the footsteps grew closer to the door. She reached for her kunai instinctively, her eyes wide with suspicion.
Is it an intruder?
As the footsteps halted right outside the door, the storm outside roared even louder. The figure didn't move. Mina, holding her breath, waited, heart thudding in her chest. Then, in a sudden flash of lightning, she saw the silhouette vanish.
Has he left? she wondered, breathing a sigh of relief.
But before she could relax, a voice, cold and mocking, came from behind her.
"Are you looking for me?"
Mina whipped around in panic, eyes instinctively activating her Sharingan. In the dim light of the storm, she saw a figure standing in the doorway, holding a long blade in one hand, a gruesome object in the other.
The lightning flashed once more, and she could finally see the face of her tormentor.
Uchiha Tonan.
In his left hand, by the hair, dangled a familiar face—Hyuga Chiryo's face, contorted in a look of terror and despair. Blood dripped slowly from the blade, splattering onto the floor in rhythmic drops.
"No… No!" Mina tried to scream, but her voice failed her. She tried to run, but her body wouldn't move. She was pushed back into the corner as Tonan took slow, deliberate steps toward her.
"Why… Why…?" Mina whispered, lifting a trembling hand toward him. But she couldn't make the seals. Her hands shook too violently.
Tonan's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Savor this pain," he hissed, raising the blade high.
The world seemed to slow as he thrust the blade into her stomach with unrelenting force. The sharp pain exploded through her, her vision blurring, and her senses beginning to fade.
Shwik! Shwik!
Each stab tore through her body, more painful than the last, and Mina's strength bled away, the weight of it dragging her into darkness. Her Sharingan blinked out, and her eyelids fell shut.
The world around her shifted.
Mrrr… Mrrr…
Mina groggily opened her eyes, the soft sound of a kitten's purr filling the air. Sunlight filtered through the room, warming her face. A little kitten licked her cheek, waking her fully.
She wiped her face with a frown. "I think I had a nightmare…" She scooped up the kitten and pet its head, her mind still in a daze. "Yuki, are you hungry?"
Meow~
Mina jumped up with a start, realizing something. "Oh no, I'm late!"
She glanced up at the calendar on the wall. October 6th.
"What the hell? It's a day off."
With a sigh of relief, she fed Yuki and made her own breakfast. Sitting under the eaves, eating and gazing at the cherry blossoms in the courtyard, she was lost in thought. The tranquil morning gave way to a strange sense of unease. Her surroundings seemed quieter than usual. Too quiet.
Mina ate a few more bites, her mind drifting. Time passed quickly, and soon it was evening.
Mina snapped out of her stupor, looking up at the sky. She quickly gathered her things and headed out for the training grounds.
As she walked, she could hear the murmurs of clan members, but something felt off. She could hear them but couldn't see them. It felt as if she were walking through an empty world, her surroundings hollow and distorted.
By the time she realized, she had arrived at the arena. There, sitting casually on the grass, was Tonan, waving with a smile.
"Mina," he called, his tone light. "Over here."
Tonan-kun… Mina thought, a smile pulling at her lips as she approached him, unaware of the creeping darkness that followed.