182. I Just Went Blind

Tonight is destined to be a sleepless night.

In the silent darkness, a wave of immense energy burst forth like a tidal wave, causing the millennium-old artificial moon high above to tremble slightly.

Its once-bright light became hazy and distorted, casting a surreal, otherworldly glow over Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime’s cold, frost-like face, creating an illusion of time and space displacement.

“Clan Leader, please calm down!”

The sudden surge of Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime’s aura struck Ōtsutsuki Akemi with terror.

Under Tsukihime’s piercing, flawless white gaze, an oppressive pressure from deep within her bloodline made her knees weaken uncontrollably.

With a loud thud, she fell to her knees, pressing her forehead tightly against the ground, cold sweat dripping down like rain as she stammered.

This aura… it feels even stronger than my cousin’s.

Unlike Akemi, who was visibly shaken, Uchiha Gin, crouching down and trying his best to remain inconspicuous, wasn’t as affected.

Instead, he subconsciously compared Tsukihime’s intense aura to Uchiha Madara’s before ultimately giving the victory to the “doll-like” Tsukihime.

Her presence was overwhelming.

“Ōtsutsuki Akemi, are you aware of your offense?”

Looking down at Akemi, who was frantically nodding, Tsukihime spoke with an icy, bone-chilling tone that seeped into the marrow, causing a deep sense of dread.

“Clan Leader, I was wrong! I shouldn’t have entertained such trivial thoughts!”

Akemi raised herself up shakily, her white eyes full of fear, as she tearfully confessed her self-reflections.

It seemed the Clan leader was angry that she hadn’t handed over Master Gin—a rather harsh reaction.

She cast a subtle glance at Uchiha Gin, who was still standing blankly behind her, sighing internally.

It looked like Master Gin would be in for a rough night.

“Ah~ Given that you’re one of our clan elders and that the Ōtsutsuki clan is just beginning to recover, I’ll forgive you this time. Reflect on your actions and avoid such absurd conduct in the future.”

Seeing Akemi's remorseful expression, Tsukihime relaxed her aura.

After all, everyone makes mistakes, and one shouldn’t be too harsh on loyal clan members who had served faithfully.

A light reprimand would suffice.

“Thank you for your mercy, Clan leader!”

The oppressive weight that had pinned Akemi down dissipated, and she breathed a sigh of relief, kowtowing to the floor repeatedly.

“Ha~ Go now, and remember, this is a one-time mercy.”

After dealing with Akemi, Tsukihime yawned, looking sleepy.

She turned away, waving her hand as a sign for her to leave.

“Understood. I’ll take my leave.”

Although she had avoided punishment, Akemi wasn’t particularly relieved.

Observing the sleepy Tsukihime, her high emotional intelligence kicked in.


It was clear that the clan leader wanted to rest—and that Master Gin was about to face his own fate.

Akemi turned to look at Uchiha Gin one last time, a trace of pity in her gaze, and let out a quiet sigh before leaving.

I should be under the car, not in the car… Uchiha Gin thought, as he moved to follow her.

However, he was stopped with a wave, and Akemi, head down, avoided his gaze, though he could still see the silent tear that slipped down her cheek.

What does that mean? I haven’t even stepped into the car yet?

As the door closed behind him, Uchiha Gin stood there in confusion, trying to figure out why he had been left alone.

Left with no other choice, he lowered his presence as much as possible, waiting for Tsukihime’s judgment from her high seat.

“Um, hello, I’m—”

After a while, having prepared a grand introduction speech in his head, Uchiha Gin found it strange that Tsukihime seemed to have forgotten him entirely.

Just as he was about to break the silence with an introduction, an excited voice interrupted him.

“Ah, finally done! Quick, get me some fries from the kitchen!”

The icy, elegant Tsukihime from moments ago had thrown off her heavy robe, revealing a thin, fitted tank top and scandalously short shorts.

She sat cross-legged on the floor, pulling a book with a rose-embellished cover from behind her, her previously cold face now filled with a surprising sweetness.

Bowing her head, she ordered a nearby puppet to fetch her snack with eager delight, looking like a hermit who finally had the house to herself.

Cough, cough…

Uchiha Gin thought that if he didn’t speak now, he might end up seeing more than he bargained for, leaving only one option—to erase all traces.

“Blacky, what’s with the coughing?”

Tsukihime, engrossed in her romantic novel, raised her brows in annoyance at the sudden sound in the otherwise silent room.

She looked sternly at her black puppet beside her, pouting in irritation.

“It wasn’t me, Master.”

The black puppet, looking exactly like the one from Akemi's household, replied seriously, though it kept glancing at Uchiha Gin with a conflicted look.

“It was him, Master.”

It was a matter of puppet pride—it refused to take the blame.

Lost in her dreamy, romantic world, Tsukihime felt an odd tickling sensation and scratched her thigh nonchalantly. She was clearly comfortable in her solitude.

“Huh? What did you say? Who—?”

Feeling a comfortable release, Tsukihime absentmindedly brought her finger to her nose, enjoying the scent. But just as she heard her puppet’s reminder, she looked up with narrowed eyes, ready to scold it. However, her sharp Byakugan vision quickly caught sight of Uchiha Gin crouching in the corner, leaving her momentarily stunned.

“Ah… excuse me, where am I?”

Knowing he had seen something he shouldn’t have, Uchiha Gin quickly adopted a blank look, grabbing a staff from behind and tapping it on the ground as he feigned confusion, as if he couldn’t see her at all.

“Still looking? Who are you?”

Realizing that her hidden, less dignified side had been completely exposed, Tsukihime flushed with shame and anger.

She quickly grabbed her discarded robe to cover herself, though it was insufficient to hide her long, slender legs and dainty toes, which she tucked away like a bashful caterpillar.


"Hello, I'm just an ordinary passerby who somehow stumbled into this place by accident."

Uchiha Gin, with eyes shadowed in gray, stared intently at Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime as she inadvertently revealed more than intended.


His expression, however, held a trace of melancholy, as if the sight before him meant nothing. With his wooden staff tapping rhythmically on the ground, he moved forward cautiously.

"You… can't see?"

Now calmer, Tsukihime’s face still held a faint blush. Her white eyes narrowed slightly as she questioned him, half-believing, half-doubting.

Sigh.

Hearing this, a hint of satisfaction flickered in Uchiha Gin’s heart, though he maintained a faintly bitter expression. He didn’t answer her directly, instead keeping his unseeing eyes fixed on her long legs.

"Um…"

Seeing the sorrow on Uchiha Gin’s face, a trace of unease crossed Tsukihime’s expression.

Despite her decades as clan leader and her skill in battle, her understanding of interpersonal nuances was limited, leaving her as emotionally inexperienced as a young girl.

“Blacky, test him.”

Though Uchiha Gin presented himself as blind, Tsukihime sensed something off in the way he looked at her, which gave her a slight feeling of unease. She gestured to the black puppet by her side to probe whether he was truly blind.

Whoosh.

Following her command, the black puppet sprang forward, instantly appearing in front of Uchiha Gin. Extending its hand, sharp, glinting blades emerged from its fingertips, aiming directly for his gray eyes.

Buzz—

A sharp sound split the air as the blade, gleaming coldly, stopped less than a centimeter from his pupil. Uchiha Gin, however, didn’t even blink, letting the deadly glint hover right in front of him.

“Hm, looks like he really is blind.”

Watching from a distance, Tsukihime let out a sigh of relief when she saw his unflinching response.

She then asked, “Are you the man Elder Akemi mentioned in her report—the one who came from the earth?”

“If there’s no other man, then yes, that should be me.”

Uchiha Gin gave a small bow, his eyes boldly “feasting” on her appearance, though his tone remained calm.

“You really came from the earth? Is it fun down there?”

Hearing his confirmation, Tsukihime’s curiosity was piqued. She darted in front of him, studying this man from the surface.

As Elder Akemi had said, he was indeed strikingly handsome.

Comparing him to her clansmen, she immediately marked all the men from the Ōtsutsuki clan with a big red X.

“It’s quite interesting. There are all kinds of people, and plenty of delicious food and beautiful scenery…”

Uchiha Gin smiled, eagerly describing the many wonders of the surface, which lit up her white eyes with interest.

“Scenery? You can see?”

Listening to his descriptions of rivers and mountains, Tsukihime frowned, catching the inconsistency.

Cough, cough. “I only just went blind. I was lucky enough to see a rather grand, ‘white’ view before that.”

That’s right—just now. I, Uchiha Gin, have always been honest