Inside the Hokage's office, the embers in Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen's pipe flickered faintly.
On the desk before him lay a report written by Kakashi.
Two weeks had passed since Orochimaru's defection.
Kakashi had returned to the village carrying the unconscious Yamato. After receiving treatment, the two of them reached a mutual understanding—they did not want Yukimi to be dragged into any further trouble.
So they deliberately omitted details regarding the Iburi clan.
To Danzo and the Third Hokage, they reported only that they had encountered Orochimaru and a mysterious figure called "Shura," who appeared to have reached some kind of agreement.
Orochimaru had escaped beyond the borders of the Land of Fire. Yamato had been injured by Shura, and Kakashi had been defeated as well.
Yet, for reasons unknown, Shura had spared their lives.
Hiruzen did not blame Kakashi. He simply instructed both Kakashi and Yamato to rest and recover.
What concerned him more was the matter of Yamato's placement.
Recently, Hiruzen had been pondering how to wrest control of Yamato away from Danzo.
After all, Root was officially part of the Anbu. Yamato was a Konoha ninja, and therefore, by rights, should answer to the Hokage.
But if Yamato's loyalty still lay with Danzo, then even if he were transferred to the Anbu, he would merely become a convenient spy planted inside by Danzo.
Hiruzen understood the Will of Fire well. To make Yamato truly a ninja of Konoha, his mindset had to change.
Transforming a person's beliefs was far harder than changing their rank or department.
Thus, Hiruzen was in no hurry to demand Yamato's transfer.
However—
One problem had barely settled before another arose.
The Chief of the Konoha Military Police Force, Uchiha Fugaku, had brought in a new investigation report.
"You're saying… Shura came again?!" Hiruzen exclaimed in disbelief, his aged face under the Hokage hat stunned, pipe pausing midair.
After the attack a month ago and Orochimaru's defection two weeks prior, Hiruzen had ordered sensory ninja and the Barrier Team to thoroughly inspect Konoha's protective barrier.
Several vulnerabilities had been discovered and repaired.
And yet now the police were reporting that Shura might have infiltrated the village again?
Was Konoha some kind of public restroom—where people could just come and go as they pleased?!
Fugaku spoke calmly and carefully.
"We cannot determine the exact timing. It's possible the incident occurred earlier and was only recently discovered."
Hiruzen exhaled a long breath of smoke.
"Are you certain Shura is responsible?"
Fugaku replied steadily, "Given the capabilities required to do this undetected, I don't believe any ninja within the village could have accomplished it."
The implication was clear.
Either suspect an unknown powerful enemy—
Or suspect one of your own.
Choose.
"I see…" Hiruzen murmured. "For now, leave it at that. After all, the money was returned."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Fugaku withdrew from the office.
After he left, Hiruzen stared at the report, unable to make sense of it.
'What exactly are you trying to achieve…?'
At one point, he had even suspected that Shura might be the same masked man responsible for the Nine-Tails incident three years ago—the one who had killed Minato, Kushina, and his own wife, Biwako.
But that night, many witnesses had seen the Sharingan pattern reflected in the Nine-Tails' eyes.
Shura, however, had never once displayed any ability connected to the Sharingan or the Uchiha clan.
Neither the Hyuga brothers' testimony nor reports from spies in Kumogakure suggested anything of the sort.
Instead, Shura's techniques resembled Minato's spiral-based jutsu.
"…Troubled times indeed," Hiruzen sighed, rising slowly and gazing out the window.
From there, he saw Fugaku walking away from the Hokage building.
"And then there's the Uchiha clan…"
Their tensions with the village were growing worse by the day.
If their dissatisfaction wasn't addressed, might someone exploit it?
Deep worry etched itself across the Hokage's brow.
After leaving the Hokage Tower, Fugaku headed straight toward the Uchiha district.
Though the Uchiha were Konoha's strongest clan, their territory had been pushed to the farthest corner of the village.
Passing by the riverside near the clan compound, Fugaku noticed two familiar figures sitting on a small pier.
A short-haired boy accepted a skewer of dango from a girl beside him.
"…It's Itachi and Izumi, isn't it?"
Fugaku allowed himself a faint smile. He chose not to disturb the young pair.
"I wonder how Sasuke would react if he knew his brother has a girlfriend," he mused with amusement.
Warm family bonds held deep meaning for the Uchiha, a clan that valued love above all.
But that same love—once shattered—could drive the Sharingan to evolve through unbearable pain.
"Hey, hey, Itachi! How is it? Is it good?"
On the pier, Uchiha Izumi beamed brightly, eagerly awaiting his opinion.
Her long black hair slid gently over her shoulder as she tilted her head. Though still young, the tear mole beneath her right eye gave her a natural charm.
She had always been a budding beauty.
"Yeah… it's good."
It was the first time anyone had treated Itachi to sweets.
Izumi's warmth gently pried open the tightly sealed door of his heart.
This budding, innocent affection brought a new color to the otherwise bleak worldview of the boy who pondered the meaning of life far too early.
Suddenly, Itachi glanced toward the embankment.
A familiar figure was walking away.
'…Father?'
Having already awakened his Sharingan, Itachi's perception far surpassed that of an ordinary genin.
Ironically, it was thanks to "help" from Obito—who had killed his teammates during a mission—that Itachi had awakened those eyes.
But the Mangekyo would not awaken until years later… when Shisui died.
"I need to go home."
Without finishing his dango, Itachi placed the remainder back on Izumi's leaf wrapper and left abruptly.
"Seriously… so dense," Izumi sighed, watching his lonely back.
After finishing the sweets herself, she hummed softly and headed home as well.
Before she knew it, night had fallen completely.
As she reached the clan gates, an unfamiliar scent drifted into her nose.
Blood.
Her entire body froze.
Now a genin, Izumi immediately became alert. She drew a kunai from her pouch, and her double-tomoe Sharingan activated.
The entire Uchiha district was eerily silent.
No voices.
No lights.
Not even the sound of dogs barking.
"What's going on…? Where is everyone?"
Following the thickening smell of blood, she ran into a nearby courtyard.
And there—
She saw something that shattered her world.
Two elderly Uchiha lay dead in a pool of blood.
Standing over them was Uchiha Itachi.
In his hand, a short blade dripped crimson.
He dragged a trembling three or four-year-old child from a hidden compartment.
Then—
Without hesitation—
He swung the blade down.
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