Morning.
Pale light filtered through the gaps in the curtains into the hallway, casting faint rays on the girls' exhausted faces.
The sounds from the neighboring room had finally stopped.
The Kessoku Band four, Momoi, Marin, Mai, and others walked out of their rooms one by one, each sporting dark circles under their eyes.
Marin opened her door, her steps unsteady as if walking on cotton.
She had dark circles and prominent bags under her eyes. Her usually sparkling gaze was now clouded, and her normally energetic expression was completely gone.
"My god... it finally stopped..."
Nijika walked out of the adjacent room, a habitual gentle smile on her face, but it carried an indescribable fatigue.
"M-morning, everyone..."
The others barely managed to return the smiles. Even Ikuyo, usually perpetually full of energy, looked half-dead.
None of them had slept well all night.
That's right, that beast Makoto had truly gone all night.
Ryo, dark circles and all, added calmly, "Reze and the others held back for months... it's normal."
Among all of Makoto's women, Ryo got along best with Reze.
Unless something changed, she would likely join the [Pervert Group] formed by Reze, Saeko, and Chika.
"Ahhhhh! AHHHHHH!"
The voice changed again, and it didn't sound familiar...
Marin blinked, trying to recall the voice.
"Sounded like... Kokoro?"
At these words, all the girls were shocked. The image of six-year-old Kokoro's cute little face popped into their heads.
'Monster! A total monster!'
'Even if the Devil Fruit's power could ripen the body, she was still just an elementary schooler!'
"Don't overthink it."
Haruno quickly explained.
"Kokoro-chan's actual age is already over twenty. They spent many years in that previous world."
That allowed Nijika and the others to breathe a sigh of relief.
"I... let's go out for breakfast."
Nijika suggested, managing a strained smile.
There was no school today, so they didn't need to go, but they couldn't stand being in that house for another moment.
Everyone nodded.
Just as they walked out of the clan grounds, they saw another graceful figure approaching.
A Konoha's Jonin... Yuhi Kurenai.
"Um... good morning, everyone."
Kurenai's face was slightly flushed.
The Kessoku Band and others replied weakly, "Good morning."
Then, they passed each other.
Ichiraku Ramen.
"Long time no see, Satsuki."
Just as the girls sat down, a voice came from beside them.
Momoi looked up and saw several familiar faces.
Aomine, Kagami, Kuroko, and a few other members of the basketball club were sitting at the next table, half-eaten bowls of ramen in front of them.
Their hair was still damp, as if they had just finished training.
Aomine, holding his chopsticks, with a bit of broth still at the corner of his mouth, smiled at her.
"You guys came for ramen too?"
Momoi nodded.
"Yes."
A single, short word.
Nothing like before, when she would run up to Kuroko chirping 'Tetsuya-kun, Tetsuya-kun', or when she would see Aomine and complain, "Aomine-kun, you're slacking off again."
Aomine's smile froze for a second, his chopsticks stopping mid-air.
Kagami, who wasn't very familiar with her, also stopped his chopsticks, his gaze shifting between Momoi and Kuroko, his brow slightly furrowed.
Kuroko's usually composed face also showed a hint of surprise.
"Um, Momoi-san..."
Kuroko thought for a moment, then asked tentatively.
"Have you been busy lately?"
Momoi looked into his eyes, those light blue eyes that once made her heart race, but now stirred no ripples within her.
"Yeah, a bit."
She paused, then continued.
"There's a lot to help Leader with."
"..."
Kuroko didn't ask further.
He inexplicably felt a sense of loss.
Momoi didn't respond further.
Only after the basketball club's members left did she glance at their retreating figures out of the corner of her eye and silently apologize.
'I'm sorry, Tetsuya-kun, Aomine-kun... You can't stop me from running towards someone better, right?'
"Sorry to keep you waiting!"
Just then, Ayame, the daughter of Otsutsuki Teuchi, brought their noodles over.
The girls snapped apart their disposable chopsticks, preparing to eat.
Just then, a familiar voice came from behind them.
"Kurenai, what did you need me for? I still have a mission."
A tired-sounding male voice spoke.
Then, a woman's voice followed.
"Isn't there still someone on guard duty? You're too tense, Kakashi. The Jonin Team hasn't had a gathering in a long time."
Hearing this, Bocchi and the others whipped their heads around.
There was Kurenai, walking beside Kakashi, followed by the 'simp' Asuma and the bowl-cut Guy.
The Kessoku Band, Mai, and others looked at each other.
'Wait, wasn't she supposed to be at... How was she here?'
"What's wrong?"
Kakashi noticed their strange stares, puzzled.
"N-nothing..."
Nijika laughed dryly and quickly turned her head back.
…
On the other side.
Konoha's prison.
Only a flickering oil lamp lit the dark cell, casting mottled shadows on the walls.
For attempting to use a killing move against a fellow villager, Sasuke was locked up here.
He had been here for several days now. Besides the guard who brought his meals, only Naruto and Sakura occasionally visited him.
Just then—
Footsteps echoed.
Sasuke assumed it was Naruto or Sakura coming to 'visit' again.
"Didn't I say? Leave me al—"
His voice stopped short.
The face emerged from the shadows... long black hair, pale skin, a crimson Sharingan in the left eye, the right eye socket hollow and wrapped in bandages.
Uchiha Itachi.
"Sasuke..."
Itachi's mouth curled slightly, revealing a faint smile.
Sasuke looked up sharply, jerking in shock, nearly falling flat on his back.
"I-Itachi...?"
If it were before, Sasuke would have gone 'rabid', charging forward yelling and screaming.
But after learning the truth of the massacre, his eyes no longer held only pure hatred.
Itachi looked at his brother's eyes, silent for a moment, then finally spoke:
"Sasuke... let's go together... to the world within the dream."