Three memorial photos were arranged on the table, each with a bowl of rice stabbed with chopsticks placed before them.

Under the dim lighting of the room, the scene looked like something straight out of a horror movie.

Kaito had imagined countless scenarios for this reunion with his brother, but he never expected it to happen like this.

At this point, should he even say something like, "I died horribly" or "I've missed you so much down there" to really set the mood?

"Kaito?!"

Sasuke shouted in delight, tears instantly welling up in his eyes. He stood frozen in place, afraid to move—

Because if he did, the tears would fall.

Even as excitement surged through him, he muttered under his breath.

"So…"

"Runtu was telling the truth… This really does convey longing…"

Unlike the overjoyed Sasuke, Runtu, realizing the situation, was downright shocked. The moment it heard its master's familiar voice, it didn't hesitate—immediately activating its teleportation ability to flee the crime scene.

"Huh?"

Sasuke had been about to praise Runtu, but when he turned his head, it was already gone. He could only look back at Kaito.

But he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination…

He had a feeling Kaito's expression right now…

Seemed a little terrifying.

"Alright, alright… Conveying longing, huh?"

Kaito pointed at his own memorial photo on the table, laughing in anger.

What could he even say about his foolish little brother's actions? Sasuke just missed his family too much.

Hikari, standing to the side, was utterly baffled. Having no idea what was going on, she didn't hold back—walking straight between the two brothers and unceremoniously plopping down in Kaito's seat.

She grabbed the bowl of rice with the upright chopsticks and started devouring it without hesitation.She held a bowl of rice in one hand, taking a few bites alongside the seafood feast on the table, her gaze still shifting between the two brothers.

"The taste is quite good."

Sasuke was still pondering the meaning behind Kaito's earlier words, but upon hearing the ancestor's praise, he proudly puffed out his chest, sitting up straight as if he alone had prepared the entire meal.

"Hahaha..."

Kaito was so angry he laughed.

Right now, he couldn't help but find that memorial photo utterly inauspicious.

However, as an elder brother, he naturally had the patience to tolerate his younger sibling's antics. After taking a few deep breaths, he forced a gentle smile and spoke to Sasuke in the softest tone he could muster.

"Sasuke, long time no see..."

As he spoke, Kaito walked up to his brother, placing both hands on Sasuke's shoulders and forcibly pressing him back into his seat.

"There's more than enough food on the table—no need to waste it. Just sit here for a while."

"I'll go inform Mom and Dad. I'm sure they've also received the... sentiments you've conveyed."

Hikari, who had been eating, turned her head in surprise and mumbled through a mouthful of food,

"I can finish it all."

Sasuke's expression changed abruptly, his gaze toward the ancestor turning strange.

He had no issue with the ancestor freeloading meals at their house.

But...

Wasn't it a bit rude to just start eating without even greeting anyone?

She was, after all, the Sect's ancestor...

And yet she was fighting her juniors for food??

Sasuke's impression of this Sect ancestor plummeted. It wasn't that he, as a junior, lacked respect—it was just that this ancestor had absolutely no dignity...

He really couldn't bring himself to respect her.

"You keep eating."

"Oh."

Kaito ignored Hikari's words, casually pacifying her before picking up the memorial photo from the table. After that, he told Sasuke to wait patiently, adding that their parents were also looking forward to eating together.

Sasuke listened eagerly, nodding vigorously as he remained seated, anticipation bubbling within him.

"This is great..."

"Finally, we can have a family meal again."

Sasuke propped his chin on his hands, his thoughts drifting far, far away.

He thought of his strict father, his gentle mother, and... the deranged Itachi.

Just as he was eagerly awaiting the upcoming reunion, the ancestor's noisy eating and occasional mood-ruining remarks disrupted his peace.

"Stupid brat... pour me some water..."

"I'm choking a bit..."

Hikari stood up, tilting her head back while patting her chest, as if that would somehow help.

Sasuke pursed his lips, rolled his eyes, and looked away.

Honestly.

How could he possibly respect an ancestor like this?

Under Hikari's repeated demands, Sasuke obediently went to fetch water.

He had no choice—unless he wanted to experience Tsukuyomi.

Three minutes later...

Kaito, who had gone to inform their parents, reappeared in the room. Before Sasuke could react, he whisked the boy away, teleporting him into the Secret Realm...

When Sasuke saw his parents standing before him, he was so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn't speak, tears streaming down his face.

At that moment, all three of them held memorial photos in their hands, their expressions unreadable.

The only difference was...

Fugaku, the father, carried a large bag in his other hand—perhaps a gift for his youngest son.

Naturally, Sasuke assumed the same.

"Come out!"Kaito tugged hard on the rope in his hand—the leash he used to lead Runtu.

Runtu did indeed possess formidable teleportation abilities, but when faced with Kaito's Flying Thunder Dog, there was almost no chance of escape.

The dog was terrified. The moment Kaito appeared, it had already flashed outside the Secret Realm, but fearing its master's wrath, it even teleported into the tool shed to hide.

Yet, Kaito forcibly swapped their positions, and with the aid of the dog's Kunai, Runtu had no room to flee.

In the end, it simply gave up and stopped resisting, reluctantly following Kaito to the scene of the crime.

After all, no matter how angry Kaito got, he wouldn't dismantle it—it was, after all, a noble Soul Pet.

"Mom! Dad!"

After calming his excitement, Sasuke finally called out to his parents.

"Come here. I have something to say to you."

Fugaku spoke expressionlessly, while Mikoto took a deep breath and beckoned to her son.

"Sasuke, we've prepared a gift for you."

Mikoto, as a mother, wasn't lying. The "gift" she referred to wasn't the sack in Fugaku's hand—they really had prepared something.

Though...

They'd give it to him after disciplining him first.

"Mm!"

The naive Sasuke nodded vigorously, then dashed toward his parents with arms wide open.

At that moment, all he wanted was their embrace—or to embrace them himself.

Completely defenseless in front of his family, Sasuke closed his eyes as he ran up to the three of them.

Thwack!

Kaito delivered a swift chop to the back of his neck. Sasuke's body went limp, collapsing to the side, but Fugaku, ever the doting father, caught his son with the sack.

What followed was simple.

Fugaku found an eighty-meter-tall tree near the camp and deftly hung the sack containing his son from the treetop.

Worried that Sasuke, still young, might suffocate inside, he thoughtfully left the boy's head exposed.

Then, gripping a whip as thick as a wrist and a hundred meters long, Fugaku swung it with a terrifying whoosh toward the sack.

CRACK!

The sound of the lash echoed throughout the Uchiha camp. The searing pain made Sasuke's screams momentarily drown out even the whip's thunderous impact.

"AHHH—!"

"Dad, Dad, my turn next—!"

...

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