The next morning, Uchiha Gen returned Pakura to the Sunagakure camp. Unlike usual, he didn't immediately leave. Instead, he lingered until the afternoon before departing.
That morning, he swept through the battlefield between Sunagakure and Kirigakure like a silent predator.
He hunted indiscriminately, erasing every trace, showing no mercy simply because his lover was from Sunagakure. The chance was too perfect to waste, such fertile ground for harvesting would be a shame to leave untouched.
Had it not been for the risk of attracting suspicion by acting too often, he would have begun this slaughter two days earlier. After all, in the chaos of war, a few missing shinobi was nothing unusual.
By noon, he had returned to Konoha without anyone noticing. He slipped into his home and shared a peaceful lunch with Mikoto and the children.
"Oh, Gen," Mikoto said gently as she carried in a tray, setting a fresh cup of tea before him with her usual serene smile. "Anko came by yesterday looking for you."
Gen lifted the cup, sipped lightly, and smiled faintly. "Mm. And what did you tell her?"
"I said you were researching new ninjutsu."
"Well done. Now, send someone to invite her over."
"Alright."
An hour later, Anko arrived.
Mikoto, ever the gracious hostess, poured her tea before taking Itachi and Sasuke outside for training. With her current strength, she could fully guide Itachi's progress.
Sasuke, still so young, could only watch.
Anko flopped onto the sofa opposite Gen with her usual energy. Her outfit was striking, mesh undershirt, mesh stockings, an orange mini-skirt, high boots, and a beige trench coat. She already carried seven or eight parts of the wild charm she would be known for in the future.
Gen glanced at her attire, brow twitching. "In the middle of winter, and that's what you're wearing? Sacrificing warmth for style?"
"Haha! I'm fine. I'm healthy and never get cold." She laughed boldly, grabbing the tea and downing it in huge gulps, as if it were plain water.
"Cough, cough… Anko, at least mind your posture," Gen said, averting his eyes when her short skirt shifted dangerously.
"Hmph, senpai, where exactly were you looking?" Anko snapped her legs together, cheeks puffing.
Gen coughed into his hand. "…Can you really blame me?"
"Be more careful from now on."
"Fine, fine. Enough small talk, what did you come for?"
"Nothing serious," she admitted, crossing her legs and smirking. "New Year's is almost here. I was bored, so I came to play with you. Sensei disappeared again, his house is all dusty."
Gen chuckled. "He's probably buried in some lab, forgetting to eat and sleep. It'd be a miracle if you could find him."
"Exactly." She leaned forward.
"By the way, why didn't Kurenai and Yūgao come with you?" Gen asked.
"They said they had something to do."
Gen's eyes narrowed slightly. Twice in a row? Once might have been coincidence, but twice smelled of avoidance. He already suspected the reasons, his situation with Mikoto, the whispers about Pakura, the gap in their status.
Most likely, it was all of the above.
He leaned back, smirking inwardly. So, the two girls have grown up. Not indifference, but distance born of care. That's better than apathy.
"Anko, when you leave, pass on a message. Tonight, 7:30, Yakiniku Q. My treat. Make sure Kurenai and Yūgao come. If they refuse, tell them it's an order."
"Got it! That…" She hesitated, biting her lip.
"What's with the hesitation? Not like you. Speak."
She blurted, "Senpai, did you… marry her?"
"You mean Mikoto?"
"Mm." Her eyes gleamed with gossip.
Gen waved dismissively. "No. We live together, but it's complicated. Too complicated for a child to understand."
"Hmph, I'm not a child anymore!" she shot back, puffing out her chest. The defiant gesture only emphasized her already noticeable curves.
"Then, senpai, can you show me the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Gen's lips twitched. "Do you think eyes like that are for casual display? Should I just toss around my ultimate jutsu for fun?"
"I'm not asking for a performance," she said slyly. "I'll show you something in return."
"Oh? And what exactly?"
She leaned back, legs parting the faintest bit with a mischievous grin. "This."
Gen groaned, rubbing his nose. "What kind of person do you take me for? Outrageous."
"Stinky perverted senpai! If you weren't peeking, maybe I'd believe you." She snapped her legs shut again, giving him two thumbs down.
He remained utterly unruffled. "That was simple curiosity about the unknown. Nothing more."
Then, without further preamble, his eyes shifted.
Jet black irises bled crimson, the tomoe swirling and locking into the intricate pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan. White sclera, crimson glow, and dark, elegant design, the eyes radiated danger and beauty both.
Anko gasped, hands clasped, awe written across her face. "Wow… they're beautiful."
"That's enough gawking. Tell me about your team's recent situation," Gen said, closing his eyes and letting them fade back to black.
Obediently, she updated him. The two chatted in the living room for a while, then strolled through the courtyard before ending up at the training ground.
Itachi was in the middle of practice, his kunai and shuriken flying with remarkable precision for his age. His taijutsu was sharp, his substitutions fluid, and he could already wield the Great Fireball with confidence.
Anko's jaw nearly hit the floor. "At his age?! He's a genius!" she cried over and over.
Gen only smiled faintly. In raw talent, Itachi truly was one of the finest shinobi of his generation.
Eventually, Anko left.
By seven that evening, Gen slipped on a pair of circular retro sunglasses, told Mikoto where he was going, and made his way to Yakiniku Q to reserve a private room.
At 7:25, the door slid open. Anko burst in first, loud as ever. Behind her came Kurenai and Yūgao, more subdued.
Their outfits were practical winter wear, Kurenai in a fiery red down jacket and blue cotton pants, Yūgao in a light purple jacket and white pants. Compared to them, Anko looked almost ridiculous in her mesh and miniskirt, though at least she'd switched to boots instead of open sandals.
"Senpai, we're here!" she announced brightly.
"Captain."
"Captain."
Kurenai and Yūgao's greetings were polite but lacked their old warmth. Their reserve didn't escape him.
Gen leaned back, smiling from behind his tinted lenses. "Don't be shy. Sit. Order whatever you want."
"Then I won't hold back! You've been promoted for ages and haven't treated us...this one counts!" Anko grabbed the menu and started scribbling her choices without hesitation.
Gen chuckled. "No problem."
But as Kurenai and Yūgao settled into their seats, they both felt it, that uncanny sensation of being seen through. Even with sunglasses, Uchiha Gen's gaze pressed down on them, impossible to escape.