175. My Mother Has Been Released

"Tsk tsk tsk~ Just what kind of material is this? The texture feels so incredibly realistic!"

In the dim Shadow Realm, Uchiha Gin furrowed his brows, his scholarly hands exploring the figure standing lifelessly in front of him.

As he examined it, he couldn’t help but marvel at its craftsmanship.

"Not only is the texture spot-on, but it even replicates human body temperature! The creator is a genius!"

"Ah!?"

Just as Gin was fiddling with two particular points on the figure, it emitted a sound that tightened his throat and made his hands and feet stiffen.

A cold sweat broke out on his brow as he was taken aback by the doll’s realistic response.

No, no—there’s no way the creator had pure intentions.

This person, he had to meet and befriend him!

Fearing the sounds might draw unwanted attention, Uchiha Gin reluctantly pulled his hand back from the figure’s snow-white surface.

As he turned to leave, he noticed a trace of human-like expression on the figure’s face.

Its brows were slightly furrowed, and even the well-versed Gin was momentarily shocked.

This doll could actually display expressions?

This technology—Gin was convinced!

“The wind is quite cold today~”

At that moment, Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime's entire body trembled slightly.

Her hot skin felt a strange relief as the cold wind blew in from the window, calming her somewhat.

She furrowed her delicate brows, a touch of puzzlement in her usually cold gaze.

Today’s wind felt different, unexpectedly comfortable against her skin.

With that in mind, she slowly raised her hand toward her robe's belt, ready to shed the cumbersome garment and enjoy the wind on her bare skin.

!!!

Uchiha Gin, who had been about to escape, froze mid-step, staring at the figure in front of him that suddenly started moving on its own.

As she shifted, Gin’s entire body tensed. His eyes turned slightly red, and he began to breathe heavily. A glistening droplet slid down his lips as he watched.

The figure lightly lifted her robe, revealing a pale shoulder, and two surprisingly large, round curves, bouncing forward like mischievous rabbits eager to escape.

"Drip!"

The sight was so stimulating that even the battle-hardened (?) Gin found it overwhelming.

He felt a hot surge in his nostrils as blood spurted out, dripping audibly onto the floor in the silent room.

“Who’s there!”

Noticing the pool of blood and some unknown fluid that suddenly appeared on the floor, Tsukihime halted her movements.

A overwhelming aura erupted from her. And she pulling her robe back in place.

Her pink lips parted, and her cold voice echoed in the room, a chilling fury filling her white eyes.

Her fair temples pulsed with veins as a mysterious energy radiated from her pristine eyes.

"This... this is a real person?"

In the Shadow Realm, Uchiha Gin hastily grabbed a "handkerchief" from the floor and pressed it against his nose.

The pleasant fragrance slowly calmed his nosebleed, and the scent made him feel almost euphoric.

“This smell? Please, I need the link for this!”

Within moments, the capillaries in his nose healed, and after taking a few more deep breaths of the sweet scent, Gin reluctantly placed the item in front of his eyes to inspect it more closely.

“Put that down!”

Before he could make out what he was holding, the white figure's eyes turned red, and her cold voice held a hint of embarrassment.

A faint blush crept from her cheeks to her ears, a sight that made Gin’s mouth water.

"Huh?"

Gin was bewildered. Could she actually see him?

Didn’t the Shadow Realm render him undetectable?

Was the ocular technique from his old grandpa even reliable?

"I said, put it down!"

As Gin pondered, the doll suddenly sprang up, her hands glowing in a cyan-blue light as she rushed toward him.

Small, delicate fists could exert such power—how ridiculous.

Even if his perception dropped by a hundredfold, Gin could sense the terrifying power in her hands.


Not wanting to take chances, he rolled aside just in time, avoiding her lethal strike.

“Whoa, close call!”

A powerful gust grazed his scalp and shattered a nearby statue into dust.

Gin swallowed hard as he stared at the obliterated statue, realizing it was time to scram.

Stuffing the “handkerchief” he’d picked up into his bag, Gin dashed through the Shadow Realm.

He moved through the dark shadows without obstruction, paying only a tiny bit of chakra as the cost.

“Stop! Give it back!”

Tsukihime’s angry shouts echoed behind him, but Gin only rolled his eyes.

Stop? With her powerful fists, nobody could withstand her.

With swift steps, Gin returned to his original position, slipping back onto his bed.

He deactivated his shadow clone, noticing a faint fragrance on his fingertips.

Fighting the temptation to take a lick, he quickly fell into a tired sleep.

“Curse that thief! If I catch him, he’ll suffer every punishment the Ōtsutsuki Clan has!”

Outside the castle, the cold Tsukihime looked into the empty night sky, her pure white eyes filled with shame and fury.

She clenched her teeth, recalling what had been stolen, and a sigh escaped her lips as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Sigh~ That was my favorite underwear."

"My worthy descendant, wake up. This is your ancestor!"

In the hazy darkness, Gin heard a distant call but resisted, pretending to be asleep.

"Wake up! Wake up!"

Seeing no response, the voice grew urgent, its repetitive chant becoming almost unbearable, giving him a throbbing headache.

"Alright, alright, master, please stop~”

Unable to stand it any longer, Gin opened his weary eyes and mumbled in annoyance.

"Phew~ I nearly had to use my ultimate technique. What a shame."

In the mental realm, Ōtsutsuki Hamura stood in front of the drowsy Gin, retracting a staff with a sigh.

“Hey~ Great-Uncle Ancestor, what’s up? The Tenseigan hasn’t been found yet!”

Gin yawned and scratched his messy hair, noticing Hamura’s unusual expression.

“No, we’ll set aside the Tenseigan for now. There’s a more pressing issue.”

Hamura’s serious face looked as though his furrowed brows were locked in place.

“I just realized… it seems Mother has broken out.”