KAGE

More than an hour passed.

While we observed Mokutō, a strange feeling seeped into the air.

I couldn't describe it.

It felt like pure, condensed sorrow.

Although I was deeply grieving myself, I knew that emotion wasn't coming from me.

I opened my eyes and looked around.

My mother was kneeling in front of me.

But unlike before...

She was now surrounded by a thin white layer of chakra.

A single term immediately came to mind.

Bijū Cloak.

This is bad...

Very bad...

The other children noticed it as well and stared at our mother in confusion.

She remained unaware, still kneeling with her head lowered as she prayed and cried.

Meanwhile, the chakra cloak became even more distinct.

"M-Mom... what's that around you?"

My younger sister, Miyo, asked through frightened tears.

Under different circumstances, that strange membrane might have sparked curiosity.

But now...

All of us could feel the overwhelming sadness radiating from it.

"That is..."

Uzumaki Hikari covered her mouth in disbelief.

She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

The conclusion was simply too terrifying.

"...a Jinchūriki," I finished for her.

The moment those words left my mouth, fear appeared in Hikari's and Daichi's eyes.

As for the younger children...

Ignorance truly was a blessing.

No...

I have to do something.

The Bijū were terrifying beings.

They were the purest manifestations of hatred and resentment toward humanity.

Besides Killer B and Naruto...

I couldn't remember a single Jinchūriki who had truly tamed their Tailed Beast.

This was terrible news for us.

Without thinking, I instinctively acted.

I placed my hand on my mother's back.

She disappeared instantly.

For the brief moment I touched her, however, my hand felt as though it had been corroded by acid.

The Bijū Cloak was horrifying.

But...

It worked.

It really worked.

"What did you do?!"

Hikari demanded, fear and anger filling her voice.

Looking around, I saw uncertainty in everyone's eyes.

Considering everything that had happened...

We had just lost our father.

If our mother died too...

We would truly become orphans.

"Don't worry," I replied calmly.

"I only sealed her away temporarily. Once she calms down in a few minutes, I'll bring her back."

"What kind of sealing technique was that?" Hikari asked in disbelief.

"I've never seen anything like it. You didn't even form a single hand seal."

Tears streamed down her face.

"Ren-kun... tell me what you did."

She was genuinely terrified.

Without proof...

She would never be able to calm down.

Hikari had always been kind to me.

Perhaps it was because we had been engaged since childhood.

Most of the time, she behaved like the perfect gentle and virtuous wife.

Except during training.

Whenever we sparred...

She transformed into a Goddess of War.

And without exception...

She beat me up every single time.

She was one year older than me, and our engagement had been arranged when we were children.

As far back as I could remember...

I had always loved Hikari.

Seeing her trembling with fear and anger left me at a loss.

Do I really have to tell her about the Pocket Space?

While speaking with Hikari, I sent my consciousness into the Pocket Space.

Inside, my mother had already recovered from whatever trance the Jinchūriki state had put her in.

She was looking around in confusion.

The Bijū Cloak had completely disappeared.

Using my consciousness, I immediately brought her back outside.

The moment she reappeared...

Everyone except me rushed over and embraced her in relief.

"Is everyone alright?" she asked worriedly.

Judging from our reactions, she immediately realized that everyone had witnessed her disappearance.

"We're fine..." Hikari answered through tears.

"But we were worried about you. Ren-kun said he sealed you away, and we didn't know what to do."

Ever since our escape, we had all done our best to stay strong.

Yes, we had cried over the years.

At least the three eldest among us understood exactly how difficult our lives had become.

But these past two days...

Had been an emotional whirlwind.

An ambush by hundreds of enemies.

My father's death.

Discovering that my mother was a Jinchūriki.

Then watching her suddenly disappear after I sealed her away, with no guarantee she would ever return...

It was simply too much.

Neither Hikari nor Daichi could endure it any longer.

Both of them hugged my mother tightly...

As though they were afraid that if they let go...

She would disappear again.

Night eventually fell.

Everyone had gone to sleep.

My mother quietly approached me.

I was sitting outside the house.

We lived in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of meters from the nearest settlement.

According to my parents, however, we couldn't completely isolate ourselves.

Twice a month, the entire family would visit a nearby town to relax and blend in.

My father had worked as a hunter.

My mother stayed home, raised the children, and served as our teacher.

Together, they had taught us all of our ninja skills.

She quietly sat down beside me.

For a long moment...

Neither of us spoke.

The silence was comforting.

But I knew it was finally time to ask.

"...So."

"You're a Jinchūriki."