---
Fortunately, Metkai didn't seem to notice anything unusual. Seeing Ye Dou flushed and sweating, he merely assumed it was a fever or a cold.
"It's already afternoon. School should be nearly over. Just lie down and rest first…"
Hyuga Huahuo answered honestly, moving to support him as he tried to sit up. But she froze mid-motion when Ye Dou abruptly turned his head and stared at her.
That look—it was terrifying.
His eyes were sharp and hollow, like a beast that had just returned from a bloodbath. The sheer pressure made her freeze, her hands hovering in the air. It felt as though she was being targeted by a curse, as if she might die in the next second.
The mongoose on the side nudged gently, its voice low and cautious. "Ye Dou…"
Snapped out of it, Ye Dou turned away and spoke flatly, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
But deep down, he still hadn't escaped the hellscape of last night. The aura of violence clung to him like a second skin—so heavy it could silence a crying baby.
It was only thanks to his naturally ferocious presence—the kind that could tear prey apart with bare hands—that he hadn't been killed on the spot.
Scenes like those weren't meant for normal people. Even Root ANBU would hesitate before facing what he faced.
"You must be hungry after sleeping so long," Huahuo said softly. "I made some porridge. I'll go get it…"
Withdrawing her trembling hand, she turned and walked into the kitchen. She'd never seen such a frightening gaze before. It wasn't just intense—it was oppressive, suffocating. Even her strict father had never scared her like that.
But moments later, she shook her head vigorously and started whispering to herself. "Come on, Huahuo, you've been here so long. What are you afraid of? You can do this!"
After calming herself, she wiped the sweat off her face, returned from the kitchen with a bowl of steaming porridge, and approached Ye Dou.
"Come, eat while it's hot. I'll feed you."
"No need. I can do it myself."
"I'm feeding you," she insisted.
Ye Dou turned his head and gave her a chilling glare, expecting to scare her off again. But Huahuo only raised her chin, meeting his gaze without flinching.
He fell silent.
He was starving, and he didn't feel like arguing.
Taking it as silent agreement, Huahuo smiled and gently blew on the spoon before offering it to his lips as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, the mongoose leapt down from Ye Dou's shoulder, quietly padded into the kitchen, lifted the lid of the pot, and found it still half full. It glanced around cautiously, wiped its mouth, and began stuffing its face.
Outside, Huahuo sat beside Ye Dou, feeding him spoonful by spoonful, chatting to keep things casual.
It wasn't anything serious—mostly Academy gossip.
"Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino were at it again over Uchiha Sasuke… Oh, and Inuzuka Kiba's puppy peed everywhere during taijutsu practice and annoyed Aburame Shino…"
She laughed lightly, then added more seriously, "I also passed by the village gate earlier. The Konoha Military Police Force was out in full force. They were bringing people in for questioning—didn't even spare the suspects."
Ye Dou's gaze sharpened. "The Police Force? Do you know why?"
Huahuo shook her head. "Not exactly. But it seems… someone's missing."
Missing…? Uchiha Shisui?
Ye Dou's eyes flickered with suspicion. His thoughts ran deep.
The Uchiha clan's confidence in their coup hinged largely on Uchiha Shisui. They believed he supported their cause, and with his unique genjutsu—Kotoamatsukami—he could turn the tide in their favor.
He wasn't just any shinobi. He was one of the Uchiha clan's top assets. A master of the Body Flicker Technique and genjutsu on par with even Uchiha Itachi.
His sudden disappearance would certainly set off alarm bells among the Uchiha.
It was just like in the original timeline: after entrusting his Mangekyō Sharingan to Itachi and the will to "protect the village," Shisui had supposedly taken his own life—disappearing into the Naka River.
Was this fate inevitable?
Ye Dou's fists clenched beneath the blanket.
"It's just treating the symptoms, not the root cause," he muttered to himself.
His words were quiet, but Huahuo caught them.
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"It's nothing."
"Really? Well, open your mouth. Ah—"
Ye Dou: "…"
---
[Exchange Space]
That evening, just before sunset, Hyuga Huahuo finally left Metkai's house.
Ye Dou didn't see her out. He lay silently on the bed, lost in thought.
"Hiccup… Ye Dou!" The mongoose emerged from the kitchen, belly full, hiccupping loudly. "That Metkai guy was right, you know. You shouldn't shut yourself away. Learn to cherish those in front of you."
It was clearly quoting someone else—it wasn't a phrase the mongoose normally used.
But this strange system spirit was oddly perceptive. It had sensed the shift in Ye Dou's state of mind.
The malice that clung to him like a dark aura since last night… was fading. Even if only slightly, it had weakened during his time with Huahuo.
Ye Dou said nothing. He struggled to sit up, pulling out a sealed scroll. From it, he retrieved a small glass container holding a single eye: Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan—Kotoamatsukami, also known as the "Farewell God."
Expression cold, he said flatly, "Let's begin the exchange."
The words had barely left his mouth when the environment twisted violently. The space around him shimmered and transformed.
Even the mongoose, who had always been unusual for a talking animal, now looked... unnatural.
Even Ye Dou, who had seen horrors few could imagine, felt a shiver of unease.
---