The deeper they went, the darker it became.
The trees thinned, letting less and less light through, until the forest was swallowed by a dim, oppressive gloom. The stench grew heavier with every step—rot, decay, and something faintly sweet beneath it.
Sickening.
The morning sun should have brought warmth, but instead, it felt as if an invisible curtain had blocked everything out. The forest remained cold, suffocating, and unnaturally silent.
Uncle Jiu's gaze remained fixed on the compass in his hand.
The needle trembled violently.
"Earlier…" he spoke casually, as if making idle conversation, "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, and evil runs rampant. Our elders sent us out to help."
Fluent.
Natural.
Perfect.
Uncle Jiu's eyes flickered subtly.
Three-character surnames were rare—far too rare. And these two were clearly not novices. That killing intent…
Didn't come from dealing with spirits alone.
There were humans behind it.
But what puzzled him most—
Was Hideki.
Silent.
Observing everything.
Understanding everything.
Yet choosing to say almost nothing.
Strange.
"I see," Uncle Jiu said at last, not pressing further.
But his suspicion—
Did not fade.
Behind him, Qiu Sheng couldn't help himself.
"Then where is your clan—"
"Qiu Sheng."
Uncle Jiu cut him off instantly.
Too direct.
Mo simply smiled.
And said nothing.
That alone—
Was an answer.
The compass needle spun wildly.
They had arrived.
"Be careful," Uncle Jiu said quietly. "This is the corpse-nurturing ground."
The terrain changed abruptly.
The soil turned blackened, the shrubs withered, and the air was thick with the unmistakable scent of death.
The compass had completely lost control, spinning endlessly in his hand.
Uncle Jiu stopped, his expression darkening.
"We're here. The corpse energy… is overwhelming."
Uchiha Hideki scanned the surroundings carefully.
An open pit.
Graves—
Dug open.
Dark holes gaped like mouths, while the soil around them was stained a deep, unsettling red.
Uchiha Mo narrowed his eyes.
Then spoke calmly.
"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 from beneath the earth.
Zombies.
White zombies.
Green zombies.
And then—
A step forward.
A towering figure emerged.
Gray fur.
Skin like metal.
A hairy zombie.
More than ten of them spread out in a semicircle, surrounding the group from all sides.
Uncle Jiu's heart sank.
This was far worse than he had expected.
A single hairy zombie was already dangerous.
But now—
They faced more than ten enemies.
"Master…"
Qiu Sheng's voice trembled.
Uncle Jiu acted instantly, pulling out glutinous rice and talismans.
"Back-to-back! Defense first! Don't let them split us!"
But deep down—
Even he knew.
This situation—
Was extremely dangerous.
Then—
He glanced sideways.
At Mo.
Uchiha Mo stared at the hairy zombie, his expression growing grim before a faint, bitter smile appeared.
"Hideki…" he said quietly, lowering his voice. "…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 as he responded.
"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 beneath sudden responsibility.
Uncle Jiu believed it instantly.
"Don't talk like that!" he said firmly. "We'll find a way! This isn't hopeless!"
But ahead—
The hairy zombie stepped forward.
Slow.
Heavy.
Each step fell like a hammer, causing the ground to tremble.
Its eyes were cold.
Dead.
Locked onto them.
The air thickened.
The encirclement tightened.
And the battle—
Was about to begin.