At this moment, Uchiha Ang sat in the spacious, sunlit living room of his home. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow over him.
He wore comfortable loungewear and slippers, cradling a freshly brewed cup of hot tea in his hand.
The tea gave off a gentle fragrance, refreshing his spirit.
This time, he had accompanied Mito Uzumaki to the Five Kage Summit, earning great prestige for the Uchiha clan.
Not to mention, Mito had brought with her news of the war’s end.
The Uchiha clan basked in the afterglow of that recognition.
As a result, the Security Force’s work had been going unusually smoothly lately.
At the thought, he took a deep breath, savoring the aroma of the tea wafting around his nose.
In this moment, he let go of all his worries, feeling as though he were floating in a world of serenity and peace.
Just as he sank into that leisure and comfort, loud banging came from the door.
Before he could shout in irritation, Uchiha Noboru burst in, dragging Tsunade and Nonō Yakushi with him.
The moment Noboru saw him, his reddened eyes brimmed with tears as he choked out:
"Dad, Chiri’s in trouble."
That single sentence exploded in Uchiha Ang’s mind like a bomb.
His once-calm thoughts were thrown into chaos, a storm of emotions, memories, and thoughts clashing like a raging tempest.
His heart pounded, as if it were about to leap out of his chest.
Still, he forced himself to stay calm, suppressing the trembling in his body as he spoke:
"Chiri... what happened to her?"
Noboru opened his mouth but couldn’t seem to find the words.
In the end, it was Tsunade who stepped up and explained:
"Chiri was taken hostage by a group of spies. Right now, she and Hikaru are locked in a standoff."
"Hikaru told us to inform you and get you there immediately."
Maybe it was his panic. Maybe it was the fact that so many people came all at once. But the whole thing seemed far too real to dismiss.
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Ang sprang to his feet and followed them toward the scene in a rush.
He never once stopped to consider—who could possibly take Chiri hostage in front of Uchiha Hikaru, wielder of the Mangekyō Sharingan?
He also failed to notice the tiny camera quietly recording his every move.
When Uchiha Ang arrived at the scene, he could hardly believe his eyes.
Uchiha Chiri was being held hostage by a group, with the leader pressing a kunai to her throat.
Hikaru stood across from them, brows furrowed, locked in a standoff.
The sight stunned and terrified Ang. His whole body trembled, gripped by fury and dread.
He couldn’t imagine a world where he lost Chiri.
That image kept flashing through his mind, stabbing at his heart like a blade.
He didn’t know what to do—only that he had to think of something, anything, to save her.
Then, Uchiha Hikaru spoke up:
"I’ll let you go, but release the girl in your hands!"
His voice was firm and powerful, and for a moment, Uchiha Ang felt a sliver of hope.
The man holding the kunai didn’t look any different from an ordinary Leaf villager. There was nothing that marked him as a spy from another village.
At Hikaru’s words, he let out a mocking laugh and sneered:
"You think I’m stupid? The moment I let her go, I’ll be dead before I hit the ground."
"So here are your two options—either we all die here with this brat, or you let us leave the Land of Fire with her."
The sarcasm in the man’s voice sent Ang’s mind blank.
He understood all too well—no matter which option they chose, Uchiha Chiri was as good as dead.
The first was instant death. The second was just a slower version—once outside the Land of Fire, her safety would be completely out of reach.
For Chiri, death might actually be the kindest release.
What Uchiha Hikaru did next shattered what little hope Ang had left.
"No way! Release Chiri right now!"
Sure enough, as soon as Hikaru shouted, the spies snapped.
The man laughed maniacally, no longer hiding his intentions, and drove the kunai straight toward his hostage.
In that instant, Uchiha Ang watched the blade close in on Chiri, and the pain in his heart nearly drove him mad.
He couldn’t understand—why had the usually sharp Uchiha Hikaru acted so recklessly, so foolishly, at this critical moment?
Why had things spiraled out of control so quickly?
But there was no time for blame. Ang summoned every ounce of speed he had and used the Body Flicker to intervene.
It was too late.
With the Sharingan’s dynamic vision, he saw the kunai inching closer to her body, bit by bit.
And then, a blur flashed by—so fast even the Sharingan couldn’t track it.
The man holding Chiri was flung aside, while the two behind him fell silently, without even a scream.
Uchiha Ang rushed forward and scooped Chiri into his arms, panic etched into his face.
She slowly opened her eyes and moved her lips to speak.
But a moment later, thick gouts of blood spilled from her mouth, drenching Ang’s arms and silencing her words.
The vivid red sent Ang into a panic.
He frantically checked her body, trying to find the wound, and his heart sank.
A deep slash ran straight across her heart.
A fatal internal injury—beyond even the skills of a Medical Ninja.
Time seemed to freeze.
Uchiha Ang clutched Chiri tightly, his heart splitting in two.
His Sharingan spun wildly, blood tears rolling down his cheeks as the pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan began to form.
"My... Chiri... my... child, ugh..."
As he wept, holding her close, Chiri suddenly vanished from his arms with a soft pop.
The unexpected interruption stunned Uchiha Ang.
The next moment, the air filled with the sharp, rapid whistling of Body Flicker users arriving all around them.
"Well done, Clan Head Ang. You’ve really set an example for the Uchiha clan."
"Indeed, indeed. Truly the dignity of a clan head!"
"Pfft..."
"What’re you laughing at? This isn’t funny. Didn’t you see him awaken the Mangekyō? Applaud, you fools!"
"No, no—it’s just... I remembered something funny. My wife’s pregnant."
"Hahahaha! Really? Well, my wife’s pregnant too!"