"Hmm~"
A soft whimper escaped the girl's lips.
Hearing the sound, Uchiha Shin stirred from his slumber, his sharp senses returning to him as his gaze fell upon the girl beside him.
Her pale skin was flawless, smooth as polished jade, and her black hair cascaded like a silken waterfall across the pillows.
The sight alone sent a wave of memories rushing back—memories of the "innocence" and "sweetness" that had belonged to her the night before.
It was different from the full-bodied, overwhelming presence of Tsunade. The raw, unripe allure of youth had its own unique flavor—one that was intoxicating in its own right. And the skills he had honed tirelessly with Tsunade made him an overwhelming force against the inexperience of this girl.
Even though she had tried to endure with sheer will, she had ultimately been defeated.
Hiss~
His fingertips lazily trailed across her bare back, relishing the silky sensation against his skin. The soft, warm touch made Uchiha Shin more alert, more aware.
His gaze lowered, catching sight of a crimson mark on the sheets—a stark contrast against the pristine white of her body. His expression remained unreadable as he traced his fingers along her shoulder, the movement causing the girl's eyelashes to flutter.
Slowly, her eyes opened, still dazed from exhaustion.
"Hmm… am I still alive?" Sasha murmured groggily, her mind struggling to piece together the events of the previous night.
The figure in her memories overlapped with the man before her, his presence suffocating yet undeniably magnetic. The realization struck her like lightning, and the haziness in her gaze was swiftly replaced by a deep, overwhelming shyness.
As she took in the smoldering look in Uchiha Shin's eyes, heat surged through her body like wildfire. Embarrassment erupted from deep within her, and in a panic, she attempted to sit up and cover herself.
But the moment her gaze fell on the torn remnants of her clothing scattered across the floor, her breath hitched. Her only choice was to desperately clutch at the tattered fabric, trying to cover her bare form. But her trembling hands only served to make the situation worse—her attempt at modesty only accentuated the curves she sought to hide, turning her into a vision of vulnerable allure.
The combination of innocence and flustered beauty made something primal stir within Uchiha Shin.
Sasha felt the heat of his gaze searing into her, making her shudder.
"Shinjun, don't look~" she whined weakly, her voice barely above a whisper, her face tinged with an adorable shade of pink.
Uchiha Shin smirked, amusement glinting in his eyes. "What's the point in being shy now? It's not like I haven't seen everything already. I'll call for a maid to bring you something to wear."
Before she could react, he reached out, easily pulling her back down and covering her with the blanket. His voice, though teasing, carried a note of finality. "Rest for now. Leave everything else to me."
"…Okay."
Sasha bit her lip, face filled with both resentment and reluctant obedience, but she still nodded.
Uchiha Shin didn't push further. He knew her limits. After all, he had thoroughly tested them last night. Any more, and she might actually break.
After dressing, he left the chamber. The moment the door clicked shut, Sasha buried herself under the blanket, her entire body curling up in shame.
Her tiny fists clenched as she pounded weakly at the pillows in frustration.
Why had she been so helpless?! At that moment, she had felt like a mere plaything, tossed about at his whims.
"…And why the hell is he so skilled?!"
Sasha groaned, shaking her head furiously to rid herself of the vivid memories that flooded back.
But in the end, she reminded herself of her place. She had no right to expect anything more than this.
A short while later, a maid entered, bringing fresh clothes as per Uchiha Shin's order. The moment the maid caught sight of Sasha's state, understanding dawned upon her.
It seemed like Rōran had found its true master.
Meanwhile, a refreshed Uchiha Shin made his way outside the palace, where he spotted Mikoto and Kanako.
But something was… off.
Unlike their usual affectionate interactions, the two were currently engaged in a fierce sparring match.
"Hah!"
"Take this!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Fists met forearms, legs clashed against each other, and the sheer force of their movements tore up patches of grass beneath them.
Uchiha Shin frowned. What was this about? It couldn't be that they had found out about last night, right? No… he had made sure no one was watching. So what was going on?
What he didn't know was that both of them had, in fact, planned to ambush him the previous night.
But fate had other plans.
As they had snuck around in the darkness, they had run into each other at a corner—completely by accident. The sudden confrontation had led to an awkward standoff, which had then escalated into a silent battle of frustration. The tension from their "failed mission" had carried over to this morning, resulting in the aggressive sparring session before him.
As Uchiha Shin approached, the two women halted, momentarily frozen.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The air was thick with awkward silence as the three exchanged glances before hastily looking away.
Uchiha Shin cleared his throat, trying to dispel the tension. "Ahem. I'm heading out to set up Rōran's barrier jutsu. What the hell are you two doing?"
"Nothing. Just sparring," Mikoto replied immediately.
"Right. Just a friendly match," Kanako added, nodding along.
Their synchronized responses were… unconvincing.
Sensing that this was not a situation he wanted to linger in, Uchiha Shin decisively turned on his heel and left without another word.
As soon as he was gone, Mikoto turned to Kanako, her expression sharp. "Alright, spill it. Just how far have you and Shinjun gotten?"
Kanako raised a brow. "I could ask you the same thing, Mikoto."
A heavy silence hung between them before they both sighed.
Perhaps it was time for an honest conversation.
Deep within Rōran's underground factory, Uchiha Shin approached the sealed source of the Dragon Vein.
He placed a hand on the barrier, and a faint pulse of energy resonated through him.
"Interesting… It seems like I can resonate with the Dragon Vein now."
Slowly, he extracted a sliver of its power. The vibrant, violet energy coursed through his body, filling him with raw vitality.
Before, absorbing such energy had been risky—like attempting to tame a raging storm. But now, something had changed. His body accepted it, albeit in small doses.
His Sharingan gleamed as he analyzed the flow of energy. His chakra reserves had strengthened, and even his ocular abilities seemed to be recovering faster than before.
"If I can harness this steadily, my power will grow exponentially. But if I overdo it, my body will explode. Not ideal."
He withdrew his hand, sealing the Dragon Vein once more.
His primary objective here wasn't just absorption. He needed this power to reinforce Rōran's defenses.
"I can't do this alone. Last night, I got… sidetracked. Time to call in some reinforcements."
He bit his finger, forming the necessary seals.
"Summoning Jutsu—Three Serpent Princesses!"
A summoning array flared to life beneath him.
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Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones