Just some distance from the small border village
Toyoma appeared on a high tree branch in a flash.
His Sharingan spun slowly as he scanned the forest below.
Smoke.
Dust.
The sharp sound of steel colliding echoed through the trees.
A battle was already underway.
Toyoma's eyes narrowed slightly.
Below him, several Uchiha shinobi who had come with him were fighting desperately.
But they were not fighting only Sand shinobi.
Mist shinobi were there as well.
Water clones moved through the battlefield while Sand shinobi attacked from the sides, trying to surround the Uchiha squad.
"Hold the line!" one of the Uchiha shouted.
A Mist shinobi rushed forward, his hands forming seals quickly.
"Water Style — Water Bullet!"
A fast stream of water shot toward the Uchiha squad.
One of the Uchiha barely managed to block it with a kunai before jumping backwards.
Toyoma frowned slightly.
Where is Uncle Genzo…
His eyes moved across the battlefield again.
He searched every corner of the clearing.
No sign of Genzo.
No sign of Pakura either.
Toyoma disappeared from the branch.
Blink.
He reappeared directly in the middle of the battle.
A Sand shinobi turned toward him in surprise.
"Another one—"
The man didn't finish his sentence.
Golden ripples appeared behind Toyoma.
Three blades shot out instantly.
The weapons pierced straight through the shinobi's chest.
The man collapsed before he could even react.
Toyoma stepped forward calmly.
Another Mist shinobi rushed him from the side.
Toyoma caught the man's wrist.
Twisted.
Crack.
The sound of bones breaking echoed clearly.
Then Toyoma kicked him away.
A member of Raizen's squad shouted in relief.
"Toyoma!"
But Toyoma didn't answer.
His eyes were still searching the battlefield.
Genzo…
A Sand shinobi jumped down from a rock and attacked him.
Toyoma raised his hand slightly.
A sword slid out from a golden ripple.
Clang.
The two blades collided.
The Sand shinobi pushed forward with force.
"You Uchiha bastards really never die easily."
Toyoma's Sharingan turned slowly.
Then his sword moved.
One clean slash.
The man's body collapsed to the ground.
Toyoma stepped over him without looking down.
His eyes still scanned the battlefield.
Pakura… where are you…
Suddenly, voices came from the other side of the clearing.
Two Sand shinobi were fighting an injured Uchiha.
One of them laughed loudly.
"It would have been better if that traitor Pakura became blind like that Uchiha bastard when he was dying!"
The other Sand shinobi laughed even louder.
"Yeah! That Uchiha fool lost one eye saving her and still tried to fight us!"
Toyoma froze.
His Sharingan slowly turned toward them.
Genzo…
A golden ripple opened beside him.
A sword flew out.
Before the Sand shinobi could react—
The blade pierced straight through his leg.
"AAAAH!"
The man collapsed instantly, screaming in pain.
Toyoma appeared in front of him in the next moment.
His foot slammed down hard on the wounded shinobi's chest.
"Where."
His voice was cold and calm.
The other Sand shinobi tried to run.
Toyoma's hand moved slightly.
Another blade shot from a golden portal and struck the man in the back.
He dropped to the ground immediately.
Toyoma grabbed the wounded shinobi by the collar and lifted him slightly off the ground.
"Where did they go?"
The Sand shinobi gritted his teeth.
"Too late… that woman already left."
Toyoma's eyes became darker.
"Pakura took the one-eyed Uchiha bastard with her," the man said with a cruel smile.
"He was already half blind… dead weight anyway."
Toyoma's grip tightened.
"Which direction?"
The shinobi laughed weakly.
"You won't reach them…"
Toyoma's sword flashed once.
The man fell silent forever.
Toyoma slowly turned his head toward the forest path.
His Sharingan glowed faintly in the darkness.
Pakura had taken Genzo.
And Genzo had lost an eye.
Behind him, the battle was continuing.
Raizen and Suki were fighting the remaining enemies while helping the injured Uchiha.
But Toyoma was no longer looking at it.
His gaze had already moved forward.
Toward the direction Pakura had escaped.
Raizen and Suki quickly finished the remaining Sand and Mist shinobi while helping the injured Uchiha stand.
"Uncle Raizen… who exactly is Toyoma looking for?" Suki asked while tending to one of the wounded Uchiha.
By now, all the Mist and Sand shinobi had been killed.
Raizen looked toward Toyoma, who was interrogating the captured enemies only moments ago.
"Maybe he's looking for Genzo," Raizen said calmly.
"Clean up the mess and search the area. Everyone, look for Genzo."
He placed his sword back into the sheath.
Raizen and Suki walked closer to Toyoma.
They had heard the name Pakura during the interrogation.
Both of them looked confused.
"Wait, Toyoma," Raizen said with a concerned expression.
"What were you asking just now? Pakura?"
The moment Raizen heard the name of the Sand hero Pakura, his heart became uneasy.
Either Genzo had been killed by Pakura…
Or Pakura was planning to attack the Uchiha near the Mist border.
Raizen knew very well who Pakura was.
She was a famous shinobi across the ninja world.
Toyoma looked at him calmly.
"Nothing."
He paused for a moment.
"I just found out that Pakura took Uncle Genzo with her."
Toyoma said this while looking directly at Raizen.
At first, when he heard the words Sand shinobi, Raizen had thought something else entirely.
He believed Pakura and the Sand shinobi had set a trap for them.
A trap meant to kill the Uchiha squad.
But now…
After hearing everything Toyoma had said, the situation no longer looked that simple.
It felt far more complicated.
Raizen looked toward the dark forest path where Toyoma had been staring earlier.
Whatever had truly happened…
They would only know the truth after finding Pakura and Genzo.
Meanwhile
Deep inside the forest at some distance
A small cave lay hidden between tall rocks.
The wind outside was cold, but inside the cave it was warm.
Pakura sat beside a wounded man.
Genzo.
His breathing was heavy.
Blood had dried across his clothes.
One of his eyes was covered with thick bandages.
The other eye slowly opened.
Pakura's hands trembled as she wrapped
another strip of cloth around his head.
Her fingers were stained with blood.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry…"
Her voice trembled.
"I'm so sorry, Genzo…"
She tied the bandage carefully, trying to stop the bleeding.
"I never thought things would reach this point."
Her hands shook again.
"If I had known… if I had known it would end like this…"
Her voice broke.
"I wouldn't have dragged you into this."
She clenched her teeth, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
"Why did you come, you idiot?"
Genzo watched her quietly with his remaining eye.
His face was pale, but his gaze was still calm.
After a moment, he spoke in a weak voice.
"…Shizuka."
Pakura immediately looked up.
Tears still clung to her eyelashes.
Genzo let out a small breath.
"What happened…"
He paused, gathering his strength.
"…was my choice."
Pakura shook her head quickly.
"No… it wasn't."
"It was my revenge."
Her fists tightened.
"You got injured because of me."
Genzo's eye softened.
"That's exactly why I came."
His voice was quiet but firm.
"But I'm still angry at you."
Pakura froze.
Genzo slowly turned his head toward her.
"You didn't tell me anything."
His voice carried a trace of pain.
"You planned all this alone."
Pakura looked down.
She couldn't meet his gaze.
Genzo took a slow breath.
"Did you forget?"
Pakura didn't answer.
Genzo spoke again.
"Did you forget what we decided?"
Pakura's shoulders trembled slightly.
Genzo continued slowly.
"We decided we would find the meaning of our lives together."
"We would share each other's hatred."
His eye remained fixed on her.
"We decided we would give meaning to our lives together."
The cave fell silent.
Only the fire crackled softly beside Genzo.
Pakura's tears fell onto the stone floor.
Her voice came out barely as a whisper.
"…I remember."
She looked at him again.
Pain filled her eyes.
"But when I saw the people who betrayed me…"
Her hands clenched tightly.
"The moment they threw me away like a weapon…"
"That memory keeps coming back again and again."
She lowered her head.
"And I couldn't control myself."
"That's why I didn't want you to know…"
Her voice shook again.
"And now…"
"You lost your eye because of my mistake."
She bit her lip.
"How can I face your people now?"
Genzo watched her quietly.
Then he gave a faint smile.
"…It was worth it."
Pakura's eyes widened in shock.
Genzo slowly closed his remaining eye for a moment.
Then he looked at her again.
"Because I saved you."
His voice was weak, but sincere.
"That is all that matters to me."
"Nothing else."
The cave grew quiet.
The weak fire continued burning slowly.
Pakura lowered her head.
Genzo closed his eyes for a moment.
The silence between them slowly brought back memories.
Memories from only a few days ago.
The small border village had been quiet.
The place looked forgotten by the world.
Old houses.
Quiet streets.
Only a few villagers are moving slowly through the day.
But for Pakura and Genzo—
It had been peaceful.
They had been waiting there for Raizen's squad for several days.
The war felt far away from that place.
During the day, they helped the villagers with small things.
Genzo helped repair broken fences and roofs.
Pakura carried water for the old villagers and helped them with simple work.
The villagers didn't ask many questions.
They were grateful for the help.
For a few days, the two of them lived quietly like ordinary people.
At night, the village became even quieter.
The wind moved slowly through the trees.
And the river outside the village flowed calmly.
One night—
Pakura sat beside the river outside the village.
The moon reflected across the water.
Silver light moved gently across the slow current.
She watched the flowing water in silence.
Her thoughts felt heavy.
Genzo walked over and sat beside her.
For a long time, neither of them spoke.
Only the quiet sound of the river filled the night.
Pakura finally broke the silence.
"…Genzo."
He turned slightly toward her.
"What is it?"
Pakura kept looking at the river.
"I was thinking about it again."
She paused.
"No matter how much I try to ignore it…"
Her voice sounded distant.
"All those years…"
"All those missions…"
She took a slow breath.
"All those sacrifices I made for the Sand village."
Her fingers tightened around a small stone she had picked up from the ground.
"What was the meaning of it?"
Her voice became quieter.
"The same question keeps coming back."
"Again and again."
The river continued flowing quietly in front of them.
Genzo watched her silently for a moment.
Then he gave a small breath.
"Maybe there wasn't any meaning for them."
Pakura looked at him.
Genzo continued calmly.
"Maybe those people were never truly worthy of your sacrifices."
Pakura blinked in surprise.
Genzo looked up toward the night sky.
"If that's true…"
"Then it's their loss."
Pakura frowned slightly.
"Their loss?"
Genzo nodded.
"They lost a great hero."
His eyes slowly turned back toward her.
"And it's good for me."
Pakura raised an eyebrow slightly.
"How?"
Genzo smiled.
"Because I got you instead."
Pakura looked away quickly.
A faint blush appeared on her face.
Genzo laughed softly.
Then he picked up a small stone and threw it into the river.
The stone skipped across the water before sinking.
The ripples spread slowly across the surface.
"Maybe the past doesn't have meaning."
He looked at her again.
"But the future will."
Pakura slowly turned toward him.
Genzo continued calmly.
"We'll make our own meaning."
He pointed toward the quiet village behind them.
"Maybe we won't change the whole world."
"But we can still change something."
His voice became softer.
"If we live our lives properly…"
"Maybe one day it will mean something."
"For you."
"For me."
Pakura watched him silently.
The moonlight reflected in her eyes.
Genzo smiled again.
"So don't worry about what our past has lost."
He leaned back on the grass and looked at the sky.
"We'll just have to wait and see what the future brings."
Pakura looked back at the river.
A small smile slowly appeared on her face.
But this time—
Her expression was different.
The memory faded slowly.
And the cave returned to silence once more.
Outside the cave—
The wind moved through the forest.
A pair of red Sharingan eyes was approaching them.
*******************************************************************************************
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