The morning light filtered through the curtains.
Shun gently opened his eyes. Temari, beside him, was still sound asleep, a faint smile on her lips, clearly immersed in a sweet dream.
Shun slowly got up, his movements as light as a feather, afraid of waking her.
As soon as he reached the living room, a faint sound of crying from afar drifted into his ears.
Shun's brow furrowed slightly, a hint of unease rising in his heart.
Immortal Village had always been peaceful, with the clan living in harmony, such widespread crying was rare.
He raised his hand to gather Chakra, and the golden Six Tomoe Rinnegan slowly emerged in his eyes. Divine Eye's vision instantly covered the entire Immortal Village.
It passed through neat houses, silent training grounds, and shops that had yet to open, finally stopping in front of a house on the east side of the residential area.
It was surrounded by Uchiha clan members, each with tear stains on their faces. Several older clan members were leaning against the doorframe, softly comforting those inside, while in the very center of the house, a white cloth was spread, covering a familiar figure.
"Yashiro… he's actually dead."
Shun's pupils contracted slightly, and his heart sank.
He recalled that five years ago, when he had migrated a portion of the Uchiha clan to the Ancestral Star, he had specifically chosen Yashiro to manage Immortal Village.
He was steady in character, thorough in his work, and devoted to the clan. For the past five years, he had managed Immortal Village meticulously. Yet, he never expected that the next news he heard about Yashiro would be such an ending.
Five years in the Ninja World was twenty-five years in Immortal Village.
When they migrated, Yashiro was already forty-six years old. Now, by calculation, he was exactly seventy-one.
Shun sighed softly.
It wasn't that he had no way to extend Yashiro's life. The nourishment of Nature Mode, and even his Chakra, could have allowed Yashiro to live for several more decades. But Yashiro chose to pass away naturally, presumably because he had no regrets left.
Shun walked towards Yashiro's house. The clan members he met along the way stopped, their eyes red, and bowed to him.
Their voices were choked with sobs. "Clan head… Elder Yashiro has passed away…"
Shun nodded slightly, his tone heavy. "You've all worked hard. I will handle the aftermath."
He knew that what the clan needed most at this moment was comfort, and as the Uchiha clan head, presiding over Yashiro's funeral was his undeniable responsibility.
In the courtyard of Yashiro's house, the clan members had already begun to set up the funeral site.
White strips of cloth hung on the doorframe, and a table was placed in the center of the courtyard, with a photograph of Yashiro on it.
In the photo, Yashiro wore the Uchiha clan uniform, with a gentle smile and eyes full of care for the clan.
Seeing the photo, Shun's thoughts drifted back to five years ago, when Yashiro held his hand and solemnly said: "Clan head, rest assured, I will definitely take care of the clan and protect Immortal Village."
"Clan head, Yashiro-sama, he…"
The clan member responsible for Yashiro's daily life said with red eyes and a choked voice, "He was fine last night. This morning, when we came to deliver breakfast, we found that he had already passed away peacefully. Before he left, he specifically told us not to trouble the clan head and to let him pass away naturally."
Shun raised his hand and patted his shoulder, his voice deep. "I understand. Yashiro did very well. He did not let down the clan."
He turned to look at the clan members present, his tone serious and solemn. "Yashiro dedicated his life to Immortal Village and to the clan. We must hold a grand funeral for him to send him off on his final journey."
For the rest of the day, Immortal Village was enveloped in a solemn atmosphere.
The clan members put down their work and helped set up the funeral site.
White strips of cloth hung throughout the residential area, and white flowers, hand-picked by the clan, were placed in front of the mourning hall. Everyone wore plain clothes, their faces filled with grief.
After Temari woke up, she rushed over upon hearing the news. She stood quietly beside Shun, gently holding his hand, comforting him in her own way.
The funeral was held in the afternoon. Shun, wearing a black Uchiha clan uniform, stood in front of the mourning hall.
His gaze swept over the clan members present, and he said heavily, "Yashiro, forty-six years old when he migrated with me to the Ancestral Star, passed away peacefully at seventy-one. For twenty-five years, he diligently managed Immortal Village, protected the clan's safety, and allowed us to live securely and train peacefully on this land. His contributions will not be forgotten by the clan, his spirit will forever remain in Immortal Village."
The clan members bowed, and the crying resumed, but with a few more touches of respect than in the morning.
Shun personally stepped forward and draped the Uchiha clan emblem flag over Yashiro, his movements slow and solemn, his eyes filled with reverence.
This was the highest respect for an elder, a guardian.
After the funeral, the clan members gradually dispersed. Temari accompanied Shun as they slowly walked home.
The sun set, and neither of them spoke, a faint sadness still lingering in the air.
Suddenly, Shun stopped, his brows tightly furrowed, and his eyes became solemn.
He could clearly feel that the Ancestral Star was undergoing subtle changes, as if a completely new energy was slowly surging underground, carrying a hint of coldness, yet exceptionally stable.
"What's wrong?" Temari noticed his abnormality and asked with concern.
Shun shook his head and called out in his heart, "Hiroto, are you there?"
A moment later, a gentle female voice sounded in his mind. "Master, I am here."
Shun asked directly, "Ancestral Star… is it changing? I feel a new energy being generated, and it seems to be related to life and death."
Hiroto's voice paused, then slowly said, "At the very moment Yashiro passed away, the Ancestral Star established a faint connection with the Netherworld, and is currently generating a Netherworld region belonging to the Ancestral Star."
Shun's pupils widened slightly, his heart full of surprise. "Netherworld region? Did the Ancestral Star not have a Netherworld before?"
"Previously, the Ancestral Star's energy was only enough to sustain the life and training of the living, unable to support the existence of the Netherworld."
Hiroto explained, "But as the Uchiha lived and trained on the Ancestral Star, natural energy continuously nourished the Ancestral Star. Yashiro was the first manager of the Ancestral Star to pass away naturally, carrying deep emotions for the Ancestral Star. His soul became the catalyst for connecting the Netherworld, allowing the Ancestral Star to have the energy to generate a Netherworld region."
Shun was silent for a moment, his gaze directed towards Yashiro's distant tombstone.
He never expected that his natural passing would cause such a change.
The Ancestral Star now had its own Netherworld region, meaning that the souls of the clan members who passed away on the Ancestral Star had a destination, rather than dissipating.