Yukari Uchiha (English)

Chapter 38

The years passed faster than I could have ever imagined. Since I officially became a part of the Anbu, I've seen more missions than I can count. Countless times, I've protected the village from the shadows, always side by side with Itachi and under the watchful eyes of the Hokage. I've grown, become stronger—but also heavier.

The Anbu mask has made many of us look the same. Behind it, it doesn't matter who you are, whether you are friend or family. The mask is the shield we hide behind to carry out our hardest tasks. And yet... inside, I'm still Yukari. Shisui's sister, the protector of Naruto and Sasuke, the one fighting for peace. But that peace feels farther away with each passing day, with each mission.

Nearly three years have gone by now. Three years that have left their marks. The weight of the missions and the constant struggle for Konoha's welfare are not only wearing down my body but also my mind. But it's not the fatigue that keeps me awake at night—it's the darkness.

A creeping, cold sensation that has settled into my eyes for some time now.

I sit in my usual spot high above the rooftops of Konoha, looking out over the village. Kitsune lies close beside me, her soft fur a comfort in the cold night air. But tonight, I feel more than just the wind's chill. The shadows in my eyes... they are deepening. Darkening.

"Princess... you shouldn't be up here alone so often," I hear Kitsune's gentle voice in my mind. "It would be better if you rested."

I smile weakly, placing my hand on her head as I try to make out the faintly glowing horizon. But there's hardly anything left to see. It's like the world is slowly blurring away.

"It's not the solitude that troubles me," I reply quietly. "It's what I can no longer see."

Kitsune lifts her head and looks at me intently, as if sensing that something is truly wrong. "Your eyesight... is it getting worse?"

I nod slowly, closing my eyes and leaning back, the exhaustion in me becoming unbearable. "Yes... it started getting worse during the last few missions, but I ignored it. I thought it would improve..."

"And now?" Kitsune's voice is full of concern. She has always been my protector and my confidante, but even she cannot carry this burden for me.

"Now... I'm not sure. I feel like something is wrong, and it's not just my eyes." I open my eyes again, seeing little more than silhouettes and blurred lights. "Maybe it's the price of the Mangekyou Sharingan, or maybe it's just the cost of the power I've been given. But one thing I do know..."

"What?" Kitsune asks gently, though she likely already knows the answer.

"There isn't much time left before I lose all my sight."

Kitsune's voice becomes more urgent, full of worry as she whispers, "Princess, please... talk to Itachi and your uncle about this. You can't ignore it."

But my thoughts are elsewhere, drifting back to the past, to a time that now feels almost unreal. "Naruto and Sasuke will probably become Genin in around two years... on the usual path. They should finish the Academy at around twelve. That means if I had taken the normal path, I'd just now be a year into my Genin rank," I murmur, running my hand softly through Kitsune's warm fur.

A smile flits across my face, a touch of nostalgia as I let myself sink deeper into memories of the Academy days. "Back then, everything felt so much simpler. Sure, I was often judged for being an Uchiha, but that was nothing compared to what lies ahead of me now. My biggest worry back then was when Itachi and Shisui would finally have time to train with me again. Everything felt... lighter."

Kitsune presses closer to me, her warmth radiating deep into my chest. "Princess..." she whispers again, this time softer, almost pleading. "Please. You must speak with Itachi. Your eyesight..."