"What exactly is going on over there?"
Inside the Uchiha clan compound, Uchiha Shin stood with a grim expression as he looked at his son. Uchiha Haru, on the other hand, looked just as confused.
Not long ago, a sudden blaze had erupted in the mountains behind the Uchiha district. It was no ordinary fire—anyone could tell something was wrong.
Because of that, Shin immediately ordered his son to send people to investigate. More importantly, they knew that Uchiha Fugaku had already headed in that direction, which made the situation even more delicate.
Ever since Uchiha Jin had been "taken down" and Uchiha Shin—spurred by a rare moment of compassion—decided not to pull the weeds by the roots, the rewards had been unimaginable.
Jin was a radical, but he wasn't a fool.
After learning about the massive divide between Konoha and the Uchiha, and especially after discovering that the ANBU commander from the Senju clan was also at odds with the Third Hokage, Jin decided to secretly assist Shin. His goal was clear—to help Shin achieve his ambitions and bring the Uchiha clan back to the center stage of Konoha!
Through quiet coordination, more and more of the Police Force that Haru could command fell under their influence. Even some of Jin's most loyal followers had begun to shift their allegiance to Shin.
Of course, all of this took time.
Jin was already considered "dead." He couldn't show himself openly anymore and could only pass subtle messages to his former subordinates.
Still, Haru's available forces continued to grow, and Shin's influence expanded steadily. The pressure they could place on Fugaku also increased.
So when they sensed that Fugaku might be in danger, they immediately sent people over.
But more than ten minutes had passed, and there was still no response from that side. The silence made both of them frown.
The worst part was that the one under attack was Uchiha Fugaku—the clan head who openly stood in opposition to them.
Shin paced back and forth a few times before suddenly turning to Haru.
"How many people did you send?" he asked sharply. "Why is there still no response?"
"Father, I sent four patrol squads," Haru replied, his brows tightly furrowed. "That's not a small number—they're all members of the clan's patrol guards."
The patrol guards were special teams responsible for maintaining order within the clan. Every member was carefully selected and fairly skilled.
After all, if they weren't strong enough, they'd be useless in protecting the clan.
And yet, not a single message had come back—not even a signal flare.
That made the situation even more unsettling.
What exactly had happened over there? And what was Fugaku's condition now?
Fugaku absolutely could not be allowed to die—especially not at this critical moment.
After thinking it over, Shin finally gritted his teeth and made a decision.
"You go there yourself," he ordered. "Take everyone who's assembled but hasn't left yet. Move out immediately!"
"Yes, Father!" Haru nodded and quickly stood up. After a brief hesitation, he asked, "Should we notify the ANBU? After all, they might—"
Shin let out a tired sigh before nodding reluctantly.
"…Inform them," he said. "See if they can send support as soon as possible."
He felt completely helpless.
After Haru's previous battle with Uchiha Tatsumi, and after witnessing Kakashi Hatake's performance, his son had clearly lost some confidence.
That was not a good sign—but there was nothing Shin could do about it.
On top of that, there were rumors that Orochimaru had set his sights on members of the Uchiha clan. If that was true, then involving the ANBU might be the safer choice.
Even though Shin hated the idea of the ANBU interfering in clan matters, he had no other option.
Seeing the slight relief in his son's eyes only made Shin feel even more conflicted.
In the end, he turned away and stopped looking, heading back inside to wait for the outcome.
"You there, notify the ANBU. The rest of you, follow me."
Uchiha Haru immediately turned to the nearby shinobi and gave the order. Then he waved to the main group, leaping forward as he headed toward the forest behind the clan grounds.
He wasn't stupid. He could clearly tell that his father was deeply disappointed in how he was handling things.
If he had a choice, he wouldn't want to rely on the ANBU like this. In some ways, his actions were already bordering on dependence—almost as if he was placing everything in their hands.
But that last battle had shaken him to the core. Not only had he witnessed the overwhelming strength of the ANBU, but he had also been forced to confront his own weaknesses.
That sense of inadequacy weighed heavily on him. He wanted to change, but he didn't even know where to begin.
He knew something inside him had already started to crack, but he had no idea how to fix it. The sheer power of the ANBU had left too deep an impression on his mind.
Right now, his only hope was that his daughter wouldn't end up like him.
Fortunately, it seemed that Sora had caught the attention of that ANBU commander.
Under that man's command was Kakashi Hatake—a non-Uchiha who had pushed the Sharingan to its limits. Perhaps someone like him could properly guide his daughter.
"I just wonder what she's actually doing in the ANBU…"
Sora kept everything about her work strictly confidential. Even Uchiha Haru only had a vague idea, with no real understanding of her role.
After all, the Secretariat was a newly established department created by Natsuhiko. No one else really knew how much authority it held—most didn't even know it existed.
So it was only natural that Haru remained completely in the dark.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Haru frowned and quickly made a tactical hand signal, ordering everyone to halt.
The Uchiha shinobi following him were highly trained. They stopped almost instantly, spreading out while maintaining distance and scanning their surroundings with vigilance.
Haru moved ahead swiftly. Pushing aside a patch of grass, he stared at the unconscious Uchiha lying within. His expression instantly turned grim.
The others saw it too, and a heavy pressure settled over them.
As they continued searching, more and more unconscious figures were found scattered in the grass, each discovery making their hearts sink further.
Taking down these people without a sound was already impressive.
But knocking all of them unconscious without anyone noticing—that was on an entirely different level.
"What the hell happened here?"
Haru gritted his teeth, quickly standing up as his gaze shifted toward the distance. After a brief moment of hesitation, he gave his order without delay.
"Everyone, move out with me. We're going to—"
"Rescue the clan head."
..
Facing Uchiha Fugaku, Natsuhiko remained cautious.
However, his caution didn't reach its peak—because his eyes had already seen through Fugaku's current state completely.
At first, Natsuhiko hadn't paid much attention to the ability known as Super Perception. He didn't even know how far it could go in revealing the truth of things.
But now, he understood.
The value of this ability far exceeded his expectations.
Beyond basic abilities like seeing through objects—and even identifying the nature of an enemy's chakra—he realized he could perceive far more.
For example, he could clearly see a person's physical and mental condition.
Just like earlier, when he could observe everything happening within an illusion.
Such abilities were almost unimaginable, yet now Natsuhiko held them firmly in his grasp.
In other words… genjutsu was likely completely ineffective against him.
Once someone was caught in a genjutsu, Natsuhiko could instantly tell the difference between illusion and reality. With that clarity, he could react immediately and counter it without hesitation.
It worked the same way as his ability to see the nature of someone's chakra. The moment he identified it, he could respond with the right element or technique, putting himself in a position where he simply couldn't lose.
This ability truly lived up to its name—Super Perception.
Right now, in Natsuhiko's eyes, Uchiha Fugaku was in far from ideal condition.
Although Fugaku's chakra reserves were still fairly abundant, they were nothing compared to Natsuhiko's.
More importantly, the strange black power within Fugaku's eyes was clearly weakening.
What caught Natsuhiko's interest even more was what he saw deep within those eyes—something else entirely.
A faint, white energy.
It was slowly, very slowly, dissipating.
If his guess was correct, that white energy was likely the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan itself.
Better not let him burn through it all. I don't want to "plant" an empty eye.
Natsuhiko thought to himself as he suddenly burst forward like a bolt of lightning. Even now, he deliberately held back from using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
He had used it earlier when approaching Orochimaru, but at the time, Fugaku's attention had been fully focused on Orochimaru. There was no way he could have noticed him.
Now, however, Fugaku's eyes were locked entirely on him. Acting recklessly would only cause unnecessary trouble.
With a sharp swing, Natsuhiko slashed forward. Fugaku reacted instantly—despite his weakened state, his perception remained terrifyingly sharp.
But Natsuhiko had no intention of giving him any room to breathe.
He pressed forward again, his blade carving a precise arc through the air. At the same time, his other hand slipped quietly behind his back, a subtle ripple of chakra forming within him.
The Mangekyō Sharingan in Fugaku's eyes spun slowly. Not only did he see through the trajectory of Natsuhiko's attack, but he also noticed the hidden movement of his other hand.
He didn't know what Natsuhiko was planning, but he immediately prepared one hand to form seals.
"Got you."
Natsuhiko instantly noticed the abnormal flow of chakra within Fugaku's body. That alone told him everything—his feint had worked.
He knew perfectly well that nothing he did could truly be hidden from the Sharingan. But since Fugaku could see it anyway, why not play along and let him see exactly what he wanted him to see?
"Hm? Wait—something's wrong!"
Fugaku seemed to realize it at last. Although Natsuhiko's chakra was clearly gathering, there was no sign of it actually being released.
That could only mean one thing—
The masked outsider in front of him had been bluffing!
"Buzz—!"
But it was too late.
Natsuhiko's blade swept past Fugaku's face, and in the next instant, his speed surged again. His fist came crashing forward with brutal force.
With his condition already compromised, his focus shaken, and his combat judgment slightly off, Fugaku couldn't respond in time. He could only cross his arms in front of him to block.
"Thud!"
A dull impact echoed as Fugaku was sent flying.
Even so, his physical control was exceptional. While airborne, he twisted his body mid-flight and landed steadily after a spin.
The moment his feet touched the ground, his hands were already forming seals, chakra surging wildly through his body.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"
A massive dragon of flames roared toward Natsuhiko, its enormous body radiating scorching heat that seemed to suffocate everything in its path.
At the same time, Fugaku lowered his stance slightly, his hands continuing to form seals. Hidden behind the blazing fire dragon, his movements were nearly impossible to detect.
But unfortunately for him—
In Natsuhiko's eyes, the fire dragon might as well not exist.
He could see straight through it, clearly observing everything happening behind the flames.
Natsuhiko could not only see through the flames—he could clearly perceive the entire structure of the fire dragon in front of him, including how its chakra was distributed and exactly where its weakest point lay.
Behind the mask, his blue eyes flickered faintly. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and charged straight into the blazing dragon.
His dynamic vision might not compare to the monstrous perception of the Uchiha, but his speed—both movement and attack—more than made up for it.
In a split second, his blade slashed precisely toward the weakest point in the fire dragon's chakra structure. As they crossed paths in a flash, the roaring dragon brushed past him—
—and in the very next moment, it split cleanly in half.
The remaining flames scattered into the wind, fading away as if they had never existed.
The chakra structure holding the technique together had been completely destroyed by Natsuhiko's strike.
Of course, his sword paid the price as well, melting under the intense heat of the flames.
But Natsuhiko didn't care in the slightest.
He didn't even spare a glance for it. His focus remained steady, not even reacting as Uchiha Fugaku rushed toward him at high speed.
With a light pivot, Natsuhiko effortlessly dodged the incoming attack. In the next instant, a kunai appeared in his hand, glowing with a faint blue chakra as he drove it straight into the ground.
"ARRGH!"
A sharp scream suddenly echoed out.
At the point where the kunai pierced the earth, blood began to seep out, staining the soil.
Natsuhiko watched calmly, without the slightest hint of surprise.
Fugaku simply didn't have enough information on him—especially not about his "counterfeit Jōgan" perception.
Otherwise, he would never have tried to hide underground.
After all… Natsuhiko could see through everything.
...
"Dammit, what's happening over there?"
Feeling the turbulent chakra fluctuations ahead, Uchiha Haru gritted his teeth as he rushed forward.
After discovering the unconscious clan members earlier, he had already realized how serious the situation was. But now, it seemed even worse than he had imagined.
When they first set out, they had clearly sensed intense chakra activity. But in a single instant, it had completely vanished.
That kind of abrupt silence gave them all a terrible feeling.
It meant only one thing—the battle was already over.
And the outcome was probably not a good one.
With no other choice, they pushed their speed to the limit. Under Haru's lead, the group sprinted toward the small lake.
To be honest, Haru didn't want to rush in like this.
He understood his father's intentions well. If Fugaku had really died, it might even work in their favor.
But the situation within the clan was already incredibly complicated. If something truly happened to Fugaku, everything would spiral further out of control, becoming even harder to manage.
So no matter what, they had to provide support.
Even if the ANBU hadn't arrived yet, they couldn't afford to wait.
Why couldn't you hold out longer, Clan Head?
A trace of frustration rose in Haru's heart, but no matter how angry he felt, it wouldn't change anything. All he could do was grit his teeth and keep moving forward.
As he ran, chakra surged within his body, and his eyes turned a deep crimson, three tomoe spinning within them.
Taking a deep breath, Haru forced himself to suppress the fear in his heart. Maybe he wasn't the strongest in combat, but with so many of them, holding the enemy down shouldn't be a problem.
I'll risk it!
Gritting his teeth, Haru leapt forward—
Only to freeze in shock at the scene before him.
There was no enemy.
In the distance, only a single figure remained, collapsed in a pool of blood, unmoving—dead or alive, it was impossible to tell.
Seeing this, Haru let out a breath of relief at first.
But in the very next second, his heart sank.
Judging by the clothing, that person…
…was clearly their clan head, Uchiha Fugaku.
Lying there, surrounded by blood—did that mean their mission had already failed?
The brief sense of relief in Haru's chest instantly vanished, replaced by tension once more as he scanned the surroundings with vigilance.
After confirming that no one else was around, Haru finally moved. Without wasting another second, he rushed forward with his men.
Kneeling beside Uchiha Fugaku, Haru carefully activated his Sharingan and examined his body in detail.
He had already confirmed that Fugaku was still alive—but battlefield experience told him that injured allies were often the most dangerous.
He had seen it too many times before. People rushing in to save a barely-living comrade, only to walk straight into traps and get themselves—and others—killed in the process.
A common tactic was to leave an enemy half-dead, then set up traps around them—explosive tags, poison, or worse.
The moment reinforcements arrived and tried to provide aid, those traps would trigger with devastating results.
Haru himself had used similar tricks in the past while evading pursuit. That was exactly why he had to stay cautious now. There was no telling what kind of danger might be waiting.
"…Nothing?"
After observing carefully for a moment, Haru frowned slightly.
"It seems the enemy either didn't have time to prepare anything… or they've never dealt with situations like this on the battlefield."
With that thought, he finally began treating Fugaku's injuries. Through his Sharingan, he could already tell that their clan head was still alive.
Although there was a serious wound in his abdomen, it wasn't immediately fatal.
But the moment Haru fully turned Fugaku's body over, he froze.
Then, a surge of fury exploded within him.
It wasn't just him—the other Uchiha who had followed him reacted the same way. Their teeth clenched, their bodies trembling slightly as anger took hold.
What they saw…
…was unbearable.
One of Fugaku's eye sockets was empty.
Blood continued to flow uncontrollably from it.
There was no doubt about it—
Uchiha Fugaku's eye had been taken.
For the Uchiha clan, their most important possession had always been their bloodline—the power of the Sharingan.
For so many years, their eyes had almost never been stolen. The only exception was Uchiha Obito, who had willingly given his eye to Kakashi.
But now—
Someone had openly taken a Sharingan from them.
This wasn't just humiliation anymore.
It was a direct provocation.
No matter their internal conflicts, Fugaku was still their clan head.
This act wasn't just an insult—it was a declaration that the Uchiha clan itself was being looked down upon.
"Start treatment immediately. We cannot let the clan head die."
Haru took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down as he began issuing orders.
After all, he was still an ANBU squad leader. He had fought on real battlefields, and at this moment, he fully displayed the composure expected of him.
"Apply first aid here. Some of you return to the clan and bring medical ninja immediately."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Send another group to contact the ANBU. If possible, reach the commander directly. If not, make sure they understand how serious this situation is."
Finally, his fists clenched tightly as his voice turned cold.
"As for the rest of you…"
"We move out. Find those bastards—no matter what."
"Yes!"
...
"Head back on your own."
In a hidden forest somewhere in Konoha, two figures appeared without warning—Natsuhiko and Orochimaru.
Natsuhiko still wore his mask as he calmly spoke, his voice steady.
But inside—
He was overjoyed.
Fugaku's defeat meant one thing.
The Mangekyō Sharingan was now in his hands.
Even though he and Fugaku had no real grudge against each other—and in some ways, they might have even been able to stand on the same side—
Natsuhiko had still chosen to act.
Because he understood Fugaku all too well.
That man's indecisiveness had already reached a level that made him unsuitable for what was to come.
More than anything else, what truly worried Natsuhiko was the kind of person Fugaku was.
To him, Fugaku was someone who could endure endlessly, hiding and waiting without limit—yet at the same time, he carried a deeply unstable mindset.
Before this, Natsuhiko hadn't even been sure whether Fugaku possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan. Back then, he had simply regarded him as someone mentally unbalanced.
After all, what kind of person could watch their entire clan walk toward destruction and remain unmoved? Someone who would ultimately "understand" their son's decision and choose to let the whole clan die just to preserve that child?
Working with someone like that… unless Natsuhiko had no other choice—or unless he himself were an Uchiha with absolute confidence in controlling Fugaku—he would never consider it.
On top of that, Uchiha Shin had already approached him. From that moment on, Fugaku had, in a sense, become his enemy.
And Natsuhiko had no intention of showing mercy to an enemy.
Still, he hadn't gone all the way.
He had only taken one of Fugaku's eyes. He hadn't killed him.
Even that was already excessive—but it was still better than removing Fugaku from the stage entirely.
Leaving him alive for Shin and the others to deal with would be far more useful than handling everything himself.
Orochimaru listened to Natsuhiko's words, his tongue instinctively sliding across his lips as his gaze lingered on the mask.
For some reason… this figure felt strangely familiar.
But Orochimaru restrained himself.
Having personally witnessed how Natsuhiko defeated Uchiha Fugaku, he understood one thing very clearly—
He was no match for him.
Especially since, during that battle, Natsuhiko hadn't even used Wood Release or the Flying Thunder God Technique.
He had relied purely on those mysterious eyes—whose name Orochimaru didn't even know—and his taijutsu to crush an Uchiha, a clan famous for countering close combat.
If someone like that turned their full power on him…
Orochimaru didn't think even his many survival methods would be enough to keep him alive.
"I understand," Orochimaru said, licking his lips as he pushed aside his thoughts. "I assume… you're going to meet my teacher next, Commander?"
"Yes. Otherwise, why would I hand Uchiha Itachi over to you?" Natsuhiko replied calmly, shaking his head slightly. "If you're going to leave, then make it grand. After all, you are Orochimaru—one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin."
Uchiha Itachi had been watching from the edge of the battlefield the entire time.
He was smart. From beginning to end, he hadn't made a single move.
Even at the moment his father was defeated, his first thought had been to turn and leave.
Natsuhiko didn't see that as cowardice.
If anything, it was closer to seeking reinforcements.
A kid like him stepping into that kind of fight would've been nothing but suicide.
It was far better to retreat and bring help from the shinobi who were likely already on their way. That would give both him and his father a better chance of survival.
Unfortunately for him…
He had crossed paths with Natsuhiko.
For someone like Itachi—the so-called "prodigy of the Uchiha"—Natsuhiko had always kept a close eye on him.
The moment Itachi turned to leave, Natsuhiko had already used the Body Flicker Technique to catch up, knocking him out in a single strike before handing him over to Orochimaru.
After all—
He was Fugaku's son.
And more importantly…
He had witnessed Orochimaru's attack.
If Itachi walked away from all this without a scratch, that would be far too strange. So letting him "play a role" in what came next would probably make everything much more convincing.
Orochimaru glanced at Natsuhiko, then down at Uchiha Itachi, who was slung over his shoulder. A faint smile slowly spread across his face.
"Commander," he said softly, "are you planning to personally 'rescue' this boy?"
He paused for a moment, then continued, his tone turning almost playful.
"My teacher arrives to hunt me down. I take the boy and try to escape. After breaking out of the encirclement, I'm intercepted by you… and in the end, I'm forced to abandon him, allowing you to claim the credit. Something like that, right?"
"If that's how you want to play it," Natsuhiko replied indifferently, his voice as calm as ever, "I don't mind cooperating. It might even help reduce the Uchiha clan's hostility toward you."
"Reduce it?" Orochimaru's smile widened. "That's not just any Sharingan, Commander. That's a Mangekyō Sharingan."
The moment those words were spoken, Natsuhiko immediately understood what he meant.
In an instant, his presence locked onto Orochimaru completely.
The overwhelming pressure felt like a bottomless abyss. Under that immense aura, even the surrounding grass and trees began to sway unnaturally.
Yet Orochimaru kept smiling.
Even as sweat rolled down his cheek, his expression didn't change in the slightest.
His intentions were clear.
He wanted a guarantee—a deal.
He was willing to take all the blame, shoulder every consequence, and even give up any claim to that Mangekyō Sharingan without hesitation.
Not only that, he was even offering to hand Natsuhiko the credit for everything.
But in return, Natsuhiko had to fully honor his promise—the promise that he would protect Orochimaru.
Otherwise, given Orochimaru's current stance… he might truly be pushed into desperation.
After a long silence, Natsuhiko slowly withdrew his aura. He looked at Orochimaru quietly before finally nodding.
"As expected of one of the Legendary Sannin. That kind of nerve is impressive."
His voice turned slightly colder as he continued.
"I won't go back on my word. After all… I still need you to research a few things for me."
"Oh?" Orochimaru's curiosity was instantly piqued. Now he truly wanted to know what value he held in Natsuhiko's eyes. "And what exactly does the Commander want to study?"
"Bloodlines. Ninjutsu. And more."
Natsuhiko didn't bother hiding anything—there was no need anymore.
"You bring your imagination and creativity. I'll provide the ideas and the necessary materials."
He paused briefly, then asked:
"What do you think of that arrangement?"
...
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