When the bright moonlight streamed through the skylight like a veil of silver, the clan meeting that had lasted most of the day finally came to an end.
Three resolutions had been finalized.
First—
For the ten Jōnin squads that would face Kirigakure for the first time, five would be provided by the Clan Head's faction, three by the Hawk faction, and two by the Dove faction.
Since Kirigakure's true intentions were still unclear, the three factions tacitly agreed not to propose sending additional forces for the time being.
Second—
Before deploying to the battlefield, the old Clan Head would negotiate with the Hokage to secure war command authority, or at the very least combat autonomy for the Uchiha.
Third—
The next Clan Head would be selected based on each Uchiha's performance on the battlefield.
Everyone present understood the reality—
Only three people could truly compete for that position.
Uchiha Anlan.
Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Mikoto.
Among them, the strongest contender was clearly Uchiha Anlan.
Of course, there was always the possibility that someone might suddenly awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan and rise unexpectedly.
The heavy doors of the shrine slowly opened once more.
Uchiha Inabi, who had been waiting outside, looked up—
And was surprised to see two figures approaching together.
After joining the group of Hawk faction members, he quietly asked his close friend Uchiha Tekka,
"Why is Lady Mikoto walking together with Lord Anlan? And what's going on with the Dove faction?"
To be honest, the sudden revelation of the relationship between the two faction heirs during the power transition meeting had shocked almost every Uchiha present.
"How would I know?" Tekka replied quietly.
Glancing at the calm-faced Uchiha Yashiro, he snorted softly.
"If anyone knows the inside story, it's probably Yashiro."
"True." Inabi nodded.
"Among us, Yashiro is the strongest and the most steady. Lord Anlan trusts him the most."
Recalling the shocked expressions of the other two guards when the door had opened earlier, Inabi couldn't help but feel a bit smug.
"Heh. Things are going to get interesting in the clan now."
"With the Hawk faction and Dove faction joining forces, the Clan Head's faction won't be able to stand alone."
"Who else could possibly become the next Clan Head besides Lord Anlan?"
Tekka's eyes shifted slightly as he glanced at Uchiha Hazuki and the others walking nearby.
Joy rose in his heart.
"Lord Anlan once said we must never celebrate too early."
"For now, our real enemies are the Konoha leadership and Kirigakure."
"Once we get through this war—then the sky will truly be the limit."
Tekka firmly believed—
A united Uchiha clan was invincible.
"Are you sure revealing our relationship so openly is really okay?"
Walking ahead, Uchiha Anlan was genuinely surprised by Uchiha Mikoto's actions.
Her performance during the clan meeting could still be explained as fighting for the Uchiha's interests.
But now—
Walking openly beside him after the meeting ended?
Their relationship could no longer be hidden, even if they jumped into the Yellow River.
Moonlight poured down like liquid silver, bathing Mikoto in its glow.
The young woman turned her head slightly.
Moonlight flowed through her long black hair, outlining the gentle curves of her beautiful face.
Her long eyelashes cast faint shadows, while her dark eyes shone with a calm yet resolute light beneath the moon.
"Grandfather Hokori already said I should do what I want."
A soft smile curved her lips.
Her voice was gentle yet certain.
"So what is there left to worry about?"
The night breeze brushed past her.
Strands of hair fluttered across her forehead.
Moonlight shimmered across her fair neck, making her look both elegant and quietly heroic.
"Fair point."
Anlan chuckled softly.
Under the moonlight, he naturally reached out and covered her fingertips with his hand.
When their hands touched—
Mikoto's fingers trembled slightly.
But she did not pull away.
Instead, she allowed his warm palm to cover her hand, their fingers slowly intertwining.
A blush quickly spread across her cheeks.
Even beneath the pale moonlight, it was clearly visible.
She lowered her gaze instinctively, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
Her breathing grew slightly uneven.
Her free hand unconsciously clenched the edge of her sleeve.
Moonlight shimmered between their clasped fingers, tinting the tips of her ears a faint rosy color.
Behind them, Uchiha Yashiro and Uchiha Hazuki noticed the scene and silently waved their hands.
Almost instantly—
The clan members behind them split into two groups like silent night crows and disappeared into the forests on both sides of the path.
The faint rustling of clothing brushing against leaves soon faded into the darkness.
In the blink of an eye—
Only the two of them remained beneath the moonlight.
Still holding hands.
Anlan grew even bolder.
Wrapping an arm around Mikoto's waist, he leaned closer, catching the faint fragrance from her body.
"Mikoto, my ninja cats can cook."
"Want to come over for dinner?"
"I'm not going!"
Mikoto's ears turned red at his sudden closeness.
She instinctively pressed a hand against his chest.
Turning her head aside, a smile she couldn't hide curved her lips.
"You're such a… bad guy."
She struggled lightly.
But instead of escaping, she found herself pulled even closer.
Her final complaint softened into a quiet murmur.
"Coming to your house for the first time and falling straight into your trap…"
Anlan laughed softly.
As a transmigrator—
How could he possibly miss the chance to pursue Uchiha Mikoto, the future mother of Uchiha Itachi?
Since childhood, he had constantly followed her around, calling out,
"Big sister this."
"Big sister that."
Among boys his age—or even those five or six years older—
Who could possibly compete with his sweet talk?
Later—
With a little inspiration from the legendary master of flirting known as the Flame Emperor, he had captured the girl's heart early on.
But as they grew older and became key figures in their respective factions—
They had to distance themselves publicly.
The closeness of childhood faded.
Their feelings became like a hidden flower blooming beneath moonlight.
Now—
With Hokori voluntarily relinquishing power—
Mikoto could finally stop suppressing her feelings.
She could stand openly beside the man she loved.
Anlan leaned closer.
"So… for this 'trap'—"
"Lady Mikoto, would you like to fall into it again?"
"In your dreams."
Mikoto lifted her chin slightly.
Her shimmering eyes reflected nothing but him.
"This time, the two of us will lead the clan to the eastern battlefield."
"The road ahead is full of danger and responsibility."
"We can't let personal feelings affect us."
Anlan was about to speak—
When the girl in his arms suddenly stood on her toes.
A soft touch, light as a feather, landed on his cheek.
It carried the faint scent of cherry blossoms.
Then it was gone.
"When we return from the eastern front…"
She whispered softly.
"Let's get married."