Dawn broke over the eastern horizon.
The first rays of sunlight tore through the last veil of darkness, spilling warm gold across the devastated western district of Infinite City.
Light flowed over charred ruins.
Over the lake still steaming with white vapor.
Over shattered streets littered with debris.
Smoke lingered, mixing with moisture, ash, and the heavy scent of blood—
Twisting upward in faint violet plumes beneath the morning sky.
The warehouse district was gone.
Reduced to scorched earth and water.
Collapsed structures jutted like the bones of some ancient beast.
At the lake's edge—
More than five hundred Mist shinobi knelt in silence.
Broken.
Empty.
Bound in groups of five by sealing chains forged with chakra suppression techniques.
No resistance.
No hope.
Fuguki Suikazan lay apart.
Alone.
Burned black.
Skin split open.
Bone visible in places.
Though barely stabilized, blood still seeped from his lips with every shallow breath.
Gone was the savage commander of last night.
What remained—
Was a dying man.
"…Nameless nobody?"
A calm voice pierced his fading consciousness.
His eyes opened slightly.
And locked onto—
Fugaku Uchiha.
Standing nearby.
Casually holding Samehada.
Fuguki's pupils shrank.
But he said nothing.
He couldn't.
Not far away—
Kisame Hoshigaki knelt in silence.
His body covered in wounds.
His gaze unfocused.
Lost in thought.
"Stable. No life-threatening injuries."
A woman moved through the wounded.
Hands glowing with medical chakra.
Precise.
Efficient.
Unwavering.
Even those on the brink of death were pulled back.
It was Tsunade.
Disguised.
Working without complaint.
Behind her—
Minako Uzumaki followed quietly.
Watching.
Judging.
Then—
Approving.
As long as she served the Uchiha—
She was useful.
Perhaps one day—
She would be called…
Uchiha Tsunade.
Morning light settled over the battlefield.
Soft.
Almost gentle.
As if the night's brutality had never existed.
High above—
Mikoto Uchiha stepped onto the rooftop.
Wind cut sharper here.
Clean.
Cold.
Her long black ponytail swayed behind her.
Her face bathed in sunlight—
Calm.
Clear.
Only faint shadows beneath her eyes betrayed the sleepless night.
She found him.
Uchiha Ren sat by the window.
Eyes closed.
Holding the egg.
Still.
Composed.
She sat beside him.
Checked him carefully.
No new injuries.
Chakra steady.
Only then—
Did she relax.
Leaning gently into him.
His arm wrapped around her waist.
Pulling her closer.
He opened his eyes.
Looked at her.
Then leaned in—
Inhaling softly.
Not the usual faint fragrance.
But—
Smoke.
Dust.
Blood.
Battle.
His grip tightened.
"…You could've stayed up here with me."
Mikoto closed her eyes slightly.
Voice soft.
"I'm your elder sister. A three-tomoe Uchiha."
"Not something to be sheltered."
She shifted—
Removing the egg between them.
Finding a more comfortable position.
A faint blush rising.
He smiled.
"My Mikoto is the best."
"Hmph… smooth talker."
"Tongue?"
"…Mm—"
Their lips met briefly.
A silver thread of breath catching the morning light—
Then breaking.
"Ren…"
Her gaze softened.
Melting.
But he remained composed.
Rational.
Grounded.
"…Later."
"Put on the black stockings."
Her face flushed deeper.
"…Fine. I'll listen."
"You're always thinking about that."
"Just bullying your big sister."
He chuckled.
"You enjoy it more than you admit."
"…That's not true."
She quickly changed the topic.
"The battle is over."
"1,500 Mist shinobi deployed."
"Roughly 1,000 eliminated or incapacitated."
"Over twenty jōnin are confirmed dead."
"513 captured."
"Fuguki Suikazan and Kisame Hoshigaki secured separately."
"Samehada recovered."
Her tone shifted.
More solemn.
"Red Guard—no fatalities."
"Three critically injured. Thirty lightly wounded."
"Security Corps… forty-six dead."
"Over a hundred injured."
She paused.
Then added softly—
"…Tsunade made the difference."
Ren smiled faintly.
"I'll thank her properly later."
"She's practically one of us now."
Mikoto nodded.
Relieved.
Then—
She sighed.
"The western district is gone."
"Some damage to the other districts."
"But no civilian casualties."
Ren brushed her hair gently.
"Necessary loss."
"To the outside world…"
"We've suffered heavily."
"That's the story we need."
She understood.
"The plan is moving forward."
"Rebellious nobles removed."
"Remaining ones drafting the petition for the Daimyō."
"Screen them again with the Sharingan."
"No mistakes."
She nodded.
"Honor the dead."
"Support their families."
"Guard the prisoners carefully."
"I'll deal with them later."
Her responses grew quieter.
Slower.
Until—
A soft, faint sound escaped her lips.
She had fallen asleep.
Ren looked down.
Smiled slightly.
Still the same.
Always able to fall asleep in his arms.
His Sharingan flickered.
Space warped—
They vanished.
Reappearing in a quiet room.
Soft light filtering through curtains.
He removed her armor.
Carefully.
Gently.
Leaving her in light clothing.
Placed her on the bed.
Covered her.
Then leaned down—
And kissed her forehead.
"Don't forget the stockings tonight."
He left.
The room grew quiet again.
Back on the rooftop—
The egg remained.
Resting in sunlight.
Then—
Crack.
A sound.
Sharp.
Clear.
A fracture appeared.
Light leaked through—
White.
Black.
Crimson.
More cracks spread.
Rapidly.
A strange energy pulsed.
Not chakra.
Not anything known.
Something alive.
Something… new.
The shell broke.
And a small, round, black head pushed out.
Large yellow eyes.
Curious.
Innocent.
Featureless.
A newborn existence.
Kuramon.
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read chapters ahead on Patreon → patreon.com/c/CrimsonHub