The forest was dense and humid. The moon hung in the sky, casting its silvery light over the agile silhouettes that moved between the branches. Shadows hid the presence of the four ninjas who advanced in silence.

It was an S-rank mission, ordered directly by the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. A dangerous incursion into enemy territory to recover strategic information vital to Konoha.

The team consisted of four elite shinobi. Tobirama Senju, the Hokage's younger brother, led the group with his ruthless precision. At his side, two trusted warriors, experts in direct combat. And then, there was you—the kunoichi who specialized in tracking and location, and whose sensitivity to chakra rivaled even the most talented sensors of the time.

But something was wrong.

Jumping from branch to branch, you felt your breathing grow heavy, as if the very air around you was becoming thick. The flow of chakra within you wavered abnormally, a strange buzzing sounding in your ears. Your attentive gaze began to blur. It was only a second—an instant of weakness—but it was enough for your body to hang on a thick branch.

A sudden chill ran down your spine. It wasn't just fatigue. It was as if something invisible was draining your life energy, trapping it in an invisible, suffocating grip.

Tobirama noticed immediately.

He was always the first to notice when it came to you.

In a single movement, he was at your side. His red eyes shone in the dim light of the forest, fixing on you with an intensity that few dared to face. His hand rested firmly on the small of your back, preventing you from losing your balance. Falling from that height could be fatal—not that he would allow that to happen. Never.

"What happened?" His voice was firm, but there was something else there. A silent, restrained concern, reserved only for you.

 The other two team members stopped a little ahead, attentive but not interfering. They knew. They knew that Tobirama did not allow distractions, except when it came to you, his wife.