The black mist spread over the silent lake.
Yumeha walked alone across the water, her chakra creating dark ripples beneath her feet.
The night was heavy—too heavy.
Even the birds seemed to avoid the area.
— "…Yumeha."
The voice echoed in her mind, soft but cold.
Aiko, the Purple Moon, was contacting her through a mental technique unique to their clan.
— "The mission starts now. Naruto wants an answer before dawn."
Yumeha stopped.
The name of Kurayami's leader vibrated in the air like a contained threat.
She exhaled slowly.
Her mist grew denser, faintly glowing with violet hues.
— "Understood. I'm coming."
Her body dissolved and reappeared inside the large circular hall of the hideout.
At the center, the Black Moon shone on the ceiling, projected by Naruto's chakra.
The council members were already there.
Aiko, standing straight like a blade.
Renga, leaning against a pillar with a wolfish grin.
Kaito, silent and still as stone.
And in the darkest corner…
Naruto.
He stepped forward, and even the Purple Moons bowed their heads slightly.
His gaze—half Rinnegan, half human—pierced through Yumeha.
— "Yumeha Kuroshi."
His voice was calm, yet it shook the walls.
"I want you to handle the Hidden Mist Village personally."
A sharp silence fell.
The Mist.
Her birthplace.
The place where her clan had been exterminated.
Yumeha felt her throat tighten.
— "You want… me to return there?"
Naruto approached her.
He placed a hand on her shoulder.
His burning chakra merged with hers.
— "You won't go for revenge."
A faint, almost gentle smile curved his lips.
"You'll go to reclaim what belongs to us."
Her eyes widened.
— "…the Seal of the Dark Dragon."
Aiko nodded.
— "If the Mist still has it, they could use it against us."
Naruto continued:
— "That seal belonged to your clan. You are the one who must retrieve it."
Then, in a lower, softer tone:
"And I will be the voice guiding your night."
Yumeha's mist swirled around her like a beast awakening.
Her heart trembled… but her resolve hardened.
— "Very well. I'll leave before dawn."
Renga laughed quietly.
— "Heh… I'd love to see their faces when little Kuroshi returns from the dead."
— "Silence."
Naruto uttered one word, and Renga froze.
Yumeha stepped back.
Before leaving, she asked:
— "Who will go with me?"
Naruto's presence filled the entire room.
— "No one."
His eyes glowed with a dangerous light.
"This mission… is yours alone."
The Black Moon dimmed behind him.
At that moment, Yumeha understood:
Naruto didn't just want to test her strength.
He wanted to see if she was ready to embrace the Darkness completely.
She turned her back to the council, her cloak flowing behind her.
Outside, the night seemed to await her arrival.
And far away, hidden among the trees…
A white mask watched her leave.
Obito.
— "Interesting… The Kuroshi girl returns to her land."
His whisper slid through the branches like a blade.
"The world is not ready for Kurayami."
The moon dimmed.
The chapter closed on a night darker than any other.