Chapter 125 – The Night of the Massacre!
The Uchiha were stirring.
Even the other clans had started to sense it—something was moving in the shadows.
Konoha had entered a tense, brittle state.
No one knew how far things would escalate… or when the breaking point would come.
That night, Uchiha Itachi quietly arrived at the Hokage Building.
His mind was made up. No more second-guessing. No more doubts.
But just as he reached the door of the Hokage's office, he heard voices—loud, angry ones.
"Hiruzen! We must strike first!"
Inside, Shimura Danzo was practically shouting at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"The Uchiha have lost their minds! We can't let them continue!"
"You think I don't know why they ended up like this?!"
Sarutobi slammed his hand on the desk, voice booming.
"This entire situation is your fault, Danzo! Every bit of it!"
Outside, Itachi froze, pain tightening in his chest.
All of this… was because of the Uchiha. And yet, even knowing that, he still didn't want to see this future unfold.
But good intentions meant nothing in the face of cruel reality.
"You're too soft!" Danzo snarled. "How can someone like you protect Konoha?!"
Neither of the two noticed the quiet shadow outside the door—or perhaps they simply didn't care.
"You're weak, Hiruzen! Your indecisiveness will destroy the village!"
"Danzo! How many times must I remind you?! The Uchiha were once our comrades! Have you forgotten Uchiha Kagami?!"
Sarutobi was seething. His patience with Danzo had nearly snapped.
And truthfully, his stance on the Uchiha had shifted. Because now… they had Haruta.
Haruta—heir of the Senju bloodline, bearer of Hashirama's Wood Release, Tobirama's cunning, and Minato's technique. He was Konoha's trump card.
If Shisui had survived, he and Haruta could have stopped this crisis together.
But no—Danzo had killed Shisui.
Still, Haruta alone was enough to suppress the Uchiha. No matter what they tried.
Sarutobi was confident they could handle it.
If not for Danzo constantly stirring the pot.
"I haven't forgotten Kagami," Danzo spat. "But your weakness will doom this village! Do you want to see Konoha fall?!"
"Enough! Shut up!" Sarutobi's voice thundered.
"As long as I'm Hokage, you don't make that call! We have Haruta! And I am the Hokage—remember that!"
"…"
Danzo's face darkened. That line again. The same line, every time.
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen."
Furious, Danzo stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
As he exited, he passed a masked figure standing silently in the hallway.
He didn't recognize him—rage had blinded him.
But behind him, Uchiha Itachi watched his back.
Silent.
Expression unreadable.
Damn it.
Back at Root, Danzo erupted in fury. He just couldn't understand why his old comrade still held out hope for the Uchiha.
Of course, deep down, he knew this wasn't really about hope—it was because of one man who had changed everything.
"Haruta…"
Danzo muttered the name under his breath. Haruta was his man. His!
That bastard Sarutobi Hiruzen—did he really think he could just swoop in and snatch the fruits of Danzo's labor? How was he supposed to swallow this indignity?
"The will of the teacher must be fulfilled. Konoha must remain strong and united. We can't compromise just because they used to be our comrades!"
Danzo clenched his fists tightly. He despised Sarutobi's decisions.
But that was all in the past. Times had changed. Their hearts no longer aligned. And with Uchiha Shisui—the biggest threat—now gone…
Danzo couldn't understand it. Why not build a more stable Konoha? The Uchiha today weren't producing monsters like Madara or Kagami anymore.
"Lord Danzo."
Just then, Aburame Ryoma's shadow flickered into existence behind him. Kneeling on one knee, the emotionless ninja spoke softly.
"Uchiha Itachi has requested to see you. He came suddenly."
"Uchiha Itachi?"
Danzo snorted coldly. He had nothing but contempt for the Uchiha. In his eyes, they were nothing but rebels and traitors.
Still, after a moment of thought, he forced down his anger and said coolly:
"Fine. Let's go see what tricks he's playing."
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
Ryoma rose swiftly and led the way, with Danzo—expressionless as ever—following behind.
Soon, the two reached the central courtyard of Root's underground facility. There stood Uchiha Itachi, surrounded by Root operatives with blades drawn, poised to strike at a moment's notice.
It seemed the ANBU had left quite an impression on Root. In turn, Root harbored deep hostility toward the ANBU.
"So… little Uchiha brat. I hear you wanted to see me?"
Danzo's voice was icy as he stared down at Itachi. But Itachi didn't flinch. His blood-red Sharingan met Danzo's gaze without fear.
"Yes, Lord Danzo. I'm here to tell you this—I'll handle the Uchiha insurrection."
"Oh?"
Danzo blinked. He ignored the boy's insolence and instead narrowed his eyes with a twisted smile.
"You? You'll handle it? And just how do you plan to do that? What right do you have? What power?"
"That's not your concern."
Itachi remained as cold and detached as ever in the face of Danzo's sneer.
"In the end, the result will please you. After all… I'll be cleaner than you were with Shisui."
The air froze.
Danzo's gaze sharpened like a blade. A chilling chakra surged within him as he stared daggers at Itachi.
"You'd better think carefully before you speak again—do you know what you're saying?"
"I know exactly what I'm saying. But that's not the point."
Itachi didn't care about Danzo's killing intent. He stared back, unblinking.
"Whether Shisui tried to strike you, or you struck him first—it doesn't matter now. I'm only here for one thing. A trade."
"A trade?"
Danzo arched a brow, though his murderous aura didn't recede.
"I'd like to say you don't have the qualifications to negotiate with me—but fine. Speak."
"I'll wipe out the Uchiha, completely. But Uchiha Sasuke must live."
Itachi took a slow breath and delivered his condition coldly.
Everyone else could die—but Sasuke was innocent.
"Uchiha Sasuke… that little brat?"
Danzo looked surprised. He hadn't expected this twist.
More than that, he hadn't expected that the one who might fulfill his long-held ambition… would be another Uchiha.
Just how ruthless was this boy?
"And if I say no?"
Danzo already had an idea of what he'd do, but he asked anyway, out of habit.
"Even without you, I'll achieve my goal."
The moment the words left Itachi's mouth, Danzo's eyes widened.
Itachi's Sharingan had changed—the tomoe had morphed into a twisted shuriken-like pattern. Hypnotic. Sinister. One glance and the world seemed to spin.
Danzo instantly understood.
The boy had awakened the Mangekyō?
"I'll say it again. I'll erase the Uchiha. But Sasuke must live."
Itachi's voice was devoid of emotion. His gaze never wavered.
"Beyond that, I'll infiltrate the Akatsuki and gather intel for Konoha.
For the village… I'm prepared to make sacrifices. But this is my only demand.
Lord Danzo… Haruta isn't with you right now, is he?"
With those final words, Itachi fell silent. He simply stared.
Danzo stared back, his expression dark. After a long moment, he finally nodded.
"Sasuke will live. That much, I can guarantee."
The words barely left his lips when Itachi turned and walked away.
Danzo watched his back, face still sour. He'd been threatened… by an Uchiha.
If it weren't for that damn Mangekyō—and if he didn't want to waste Izanagi—he would've killed the brat right there.
"Mangekyō Sharingan… tch…"
"Just as the teacher said… bunch of lunatics."
---
A small town outside Konoha.
Obito—once again disguised as Uchiha Madara—addressed the assembled Akatsuki members.
"The date is set. One week from now, we move."
But the moment he looked at their uninterested faces, he cursed silently.
Too few of them actually obeyed him. After all, most hadn't been recruited by him personally.
Worse still, as the bounty on "Uchiha Obito" spread across the continent, more and more people had started suspecting his identity.
He could feel it—these guys weren't saying it out loud, but they had their doubts.
So he'd given up pretending.
As long as he didn't admit anything, it didn't matter.
After all, Uchiha Madara was a name that shook the world. Uchiha Obito? Just a nobody.
"This mission won't be easy. We'll be deep inside Konoha territory. But I promise—I'll get you all out safely."
"Hah. That's a bold claim."
Orochimaru licked his lips, casting Tobi a mocking look. Then he chuckled and nodded.
"Fine. It's been ages since I last visited Konoha. Might as well drop in."
"Since we're already here, we'll cooperate."
Pain spoke indifferently. Konan and Kakuzu nodded. Sasori and Biwa Jūzō remained expressionless—they clearly didn't care.
To them, it was just another mission.
"Still… could you explain the plan a little better?" Sasori asked. "I don't want any surprises. This is Konoha, after all."
"I understand. But… odds are we'll run into Haruta."
Obito sounded annoyed. He didn't get it. Why was everyone so obsessed with Haruta? It was like just hearing his name turned the tide against them.
Back in the day, he had walked into Konoha alone, unleashed the Nine-Tails, and took down the Fourth Hokage himself. The village nearly collapsed. He had all the advantage.
Now, just a few years later… it felt like the whole village had become his grave.
Still, even if they were outnumbered, they had one edge—the element of surprise.
"The Uchiha themselves will be making a move, drawing most of Konoha's forces and the ANBU. That works in our favor."
Despite his frustration, Obito held onto his confidence.
"We'll first support the rogue ninja and bounty hunters around the village. Once they pull Konoha's attention, we'll slip into the Uchiha compound.
From there—do as you please. We've got people embedded with the Uchiha, so it's our battlefield now.
Konoha will be stuck between two choices—fight us, and leave the Uchiha alone. Or crack down on the Uchiha, and abandon the rest.
Either way, only Haruta will be left to respond alone.
This time, we hold the advantage. We will win."
Obito had no intention of playing the hero. After a tip from Black Zetsu, he planned to throw Itachi under the bus.
Make him a tool. A permanent pawn.
The cloak of "Akatsuki member" would never come off. Not for Itachi. Not ever.
"The Uchiha have a plan, huh? Heh… now this is getting interesting."
Sasori nodded, eyes flashing with malicious excitement. He had no love for Konoha.
"Maybe we should really stir things up. Watching Konoha burn would make my day."
"Hmph. Do whatever."
Biwa Jūzō grunted and fell silent. Of everyone here, he probably had the most complicated feelings.
The Fourth Mizukage had been mind-controlled. Kirigakure was turned into a tyrant's toy. He'd defected because of it.
Now, looking back, he couldn't help but feel he'd been played. But there was no turning back.
"Fine. We'll hit Konoha hard. At the very least, they'll lose some flesh."
Konan's voice was cold. Pain, controlled by Nagato, nodded silently.
Only Kakuzu seemed cheerful, shrugging with a grin.
This mission's gonna pay big.
And he wasn't alone. Both Nagato and Konan were already thinking the same thing.
---
In an abandoned underground lab…
"Are preparations complete?"
Haruta's voice was calm as he turned to look at Kabuto and Shisui.
"Just about," Kabuto adjusted his glasses. He and Shisui had spent weeks studying the Uchiha compound. They'd mapped it thoroughly.
But that was exactly why it felt troublesome.
The Uchiha compound was huge.
Getting everyone out in time would be far from easy.
"Haruta, how much damage do you expect the Uchiha to take? We need numbers to make a proper plan."
"Expectations, huh…"
Haruta sat down, gazing at the two with a thoughtful expression. Especially Shisui—whose curious eyes held a barely restrained urgency.
After a pause, he finally opened his mouth to speak—
"I already said—if they're innocent, we save them. And besides, I've got a very clear idea now.
The Uchiha are part of Konoha. So what I want… is for there to be no rebellion at all this time."
"No rebellion? That…"
Shisui froze at those words, while Kabuto's brows furrowed deeply.
"Haruta… that's easier said than done. Or… have you heard something new?"
"There is a new development."
Haruta didn't hold back. He knew it was time to let them in on part of the picture.
"I haven't reported this to the Hokage yet, but I want you both to be mentally prepared.
There's someone inside the Uchiha who's contacted the Akatsuki. But not to get their help for the Uchiha.
He wants them to help wipe the Uchiha out."
"Impossible!"
Shisui's face went pale. He'd always known the Uchiha were walking a fine line… but this? In his mind, if anyone was plotting their downfall, it had to be Danzo.
Not one of their own.
"I don't know the exact details. But I trust my informant. Here, see for yourselves."
As Haruta spoke, he pulled out a scroll—one that had been passed along by Kakuzu.
Say what you would about him, but Kakuzu was meticulous and reliable. Haruta considered every ryo spent on him worth it.
Better still, Kakuzu always obfuscated identities. His intel came from others' perspectives, keeping any link to Haruta out of the picture.
And not just him—Konan had also passed on relevant information.
> "Akatsuki's current mobilization likely tied to Uchiha—possibly hired by a Uchiha shinobi."
As Shisui read those words, his hands trembled.
What the hell is going on?
But Kabuto remained calm, scanning the scroll as if the answer were obvious.
"So… you want to use Akatsuki's attack to redeem the Uchiha's reputation?"
"Exactly."
Haruta smiled faintly, spreading his hands.
"This is a golden opportunity. If we don't use it well, it'd be a shame.
Whoever made the deal, whatever their reason—that's not our concern.
What matters is simple: there's no rebellion. Konoha and the Uchiha are both attacked by Akatsuki. That's all the world needs to see."
Scapegoating wasn't some moral sin—it was strategy. As for who took the fall? That was secondary.
Besides, Haruta had already done the work to tarnish Akatsuki's name. At this point, they made perfect black gloves—useful, disposable, and expected to get dirty.
Shisui's heart still twisted with unease. The end result might be cleaner… but the process was filthier than ever.
Who was it? Who in the Uchiha had turned on their own?
"Well, it's still the best outcome. Uchiha and Konoha both save face."
Kabuto, of course, was unfazed. He didn't think it was a bad deal at all.
"Then it's settled. This underground lab—whoever left it behind—it's big enough. We can move the Uchiha here once things begin.
It's close to the compound. The only issue is we'll need a lot of shadow clones, plenty of soldier pills, and better logistics. Keep that in mind."
"Yeah…"
Shisui let out a long sigh. No use getting emotional—there were still tasks to handle.
"We've got enough supplies to get by… for a little while. But Haruta, what's your long-term plan?
What are you going to do about Shimura Danzo? And the clan—where will they go? These are real problems."
"The next stretch might be rough… but once Danzo's dealt with, everything becomes simpler."
Haruta chuckled softly at the question.
"Let me ask you both something. If this incident causes a major wave in Konoha—who do you think the blame will fall on?
Whether or not the Third Hokage knew… whether or not he was involved… someone will have to take the fall.
Especially, Shisui—since you were already attacked once."
He paused briefly, glancing around the lab with a brighter smile than before.
"As for the Uchiha, we don't need to think too far ahead. Maybe they can't live openly, not for a while. But they will live.
As for Danzo… no matter what he does tonight, there's no way he's walking away from this."
---
Time slipped by. One week passed in the blink of an eye.
At the Konoha Ninja Academy, Sasuke sat idly in his seat, half-heartedly flipping through a textbook.
He looked bored.
Every student knew the ritual—wait for class to end, wait to go home. Sasuke was no exception.
"Well, almost time to go…"
He muttered, glancing at Naruto beside him, who was clapping and counting down the minutes with both hands like an idiot.
Sasuke couldn't help but snort.
Class was boring enough—especially the last few minutes. But Sasuke was a top student. He wouldn't slack off like some people.
"Idiot."
He rolled his eyes, trying to ignore Naruto's antics. Almost six o'clock. Almost free.
"Emergency announcement! Emergency announcement!"
Just then, a chunin burst through the classroom door and shouted:
"There will be a mandatory night drill! All students must remain behind to participate. I repeat—all students must stay!"
The classroom exploded.
Some kids were thrilled—drills were fun. Others looked miserable—playtime was canceled.
"Damn it! Another drill? I won't get to eat ramen tonight!"
Naruto moaned, devastated.
"Idiot,"
Sasuke muttered again—but even his heart sank a little.
So much for getting home early tonight…
---
Night fell.
The Uchiha district was silent.
They were so close—so close to their so-called "glory," yet the entire clan had grown eerily quiet.
Perhaps it was the stillness before the storm.
Outside the compound, the woods were thick with masked figures, their eyes like blades in the dark.
They moved in teams, silently surrounding the Uchiha from all sides.
"Lord Danzo. The deployment is complete. Awaiting your orders."
In the shadowed woods, Danzo stood still. Aburame Ryoma knelt beside him, voice low.
"Hold position. No further action for now."
Danzo looked up at the night sky.
A moonless night, a windless sky—the perfect conditions for bloodshed. Tonight would be anything but peaceful.
"The Uchiha—leave them to Itachi. He refused our support. Claims he has backup. Let's see what he can do.
After all, he has the Mangekyō. Maybe he'll surprise us.
But—if any Uchiha tries to escape… kill without hesitation.
And if Uchiha Sasuke returns… no one touches him."
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
Ryoma nodded. He'd handle the details. He was Danzo's most capable assistant, after all.
"Then I leave this place to you. I have business with the Hokage."
Danzo cast one last look at the Uchiha compound, trying to burn it into memory. Then, he turned and left.
Tonight's operation—he wasn't sure if his old friend knew. Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't.
But even if he did, the official line would always be "I knew nothing."
Danzo didn't care.
He'd just play the fool, buy some time, and keep Sarutobi distracted long enough.
As for the rest? That was Itachi's problem. He refused Root's help. Said he had his own allies.
But who are they, exactly…?
Danzo's thoughts swirled as he disappeared into the darkness.
The woods returned to silence.
But high above… someone was watching.
---
"So this is the place…"
In the night sky, Haruta hovered, one arm wrapped around Hikari's waist, staring down at the Uchiha compound.
Their territory sat in an open plain now. Root had taken the best forest vantage points—so aerial recon was the only option.
And as luck would have it… Haruta could fly.
"Yeah, this is it."
Haruta nodded, eyes distant.
"At this rate… this place might become history by morning. How does it feel? Watching it all come crashing down?"
Hikari said nothing. She just watched the scene below in silence.
She didn't mind Haruta holding her close—her thoughts were elsewhere, flickering through fragments of memory.
Her only feelings for the Uchiha were hate.
There wasn't a single happy memory left.
But Haruta's words… hit somewhere deep.
Maybe… the innocent really shouldn't be dragged into this?
Maybe… waking up a century later meant she had a chance to change it all?
She didn't speak for a long while. Then finally, she tilted her head up.
"You're holding me too tight."
"You're not afraid of falling?"
Haruta raised a brow, but didn't loosen his grip.
"I'm not exactly a master at this jutsu. I'd rather not watch you plummet—after all, we're friends."
"Friends?"
Hikari narrowed her eyes and suddenly asked, cold as ice:
"Same kind of 'friend' as Yugao?"
"…"
Haruta's lips tightened. He didn't answer. Smart move.
Luckily, Hikari didn't push it.
"You brought me here. Said all those things. I doubt you did it for fun.
Yuyan's told me a lot about you. Smart. Calculating. And you told me yourself—you won't let those who hurt you off easy.
So tell me—what's your plan?"
"You're sharper than I thought, Hikari."
Haruta nodded, then sighed.
"Don't you want to know more about yourself? Before you were turned into the Uchiha's 'ultimate weapon'? Don't you wonder if you had friends… family… a real life?
I told you—we're friends. You haven't said it, but I've decided. I'll help you find the truth.
And as for the Uchiha… you hate them. But I still believe the innocent shouldn't suffer.
So, I've come up with a plan."
He paused, glancing down at the girl in his arms.
The wind howled softly through the night sky, but it didn't matter.
Under the silver light of the moon, Haruta continued—
"As expected, the Uchiha will go underground tonight. But none of those power-hungry bastards stirring up rebellion will make it out alive.
The thing with the Uchiha is... their power is inherited. The son of a clan head becomes the next clan head. Elders raise their sons to become the next elders.
They're no different from the ones who once tormented you. Consider this our way of returning the favor.
The rest… depends on how you want to see it."
"My own choice, huh…"
Hikari lowered her head, gazing down through the clouds at the Uchiha compound below. For a moment, she seemed lost in thought.
Haruta didn't press her. He remained quietly above the clouds, waiting. After a long while, Hikari finally nodded slightly.
"Do as you said. To be honest, even if I wanted to object, I probably wouldn't get the chance.
After all, my chakra's sealed. And besides… you've already made your decision. Why bother asking me at all?"
It was a jab—and it landed. Haruta stayed silent, lips pressed tight, which somehow put Hikari in a better mood. Tilting her head, she looked at him.
"Let me down. I want to find a better spot to watch from. Also… thank you.
If I could, I'd like to understand the version of myself from the past—who I really was."
"It's starting. The Uchiha should be making their move by now."
—
Outside Konoha, Uchiha Obito glanced at the time. He lowered his voice and spoke to the assembled members of the Akatsuki.
"Stick to the plan. Kakuzu, Jūzō Biwa—you two get the rogue ninja and bounty hunters moving."
"No problem. With the Uchiha's contract scroll, they'll obey."
Kakuzu chuckled. He didn't care how Obito had gotten the scroll—what mattered was that this job would pay.
Jūzō gave a lazy nod. He was still a little skeptical, but as an old Mist ninja, he wasn't about to miss a chance to see Konoha suffer.
"Orochimaru, you know Konoha better than anyone. You and Sasori will handle the prison."
Obito turned to him. Orochimaru licked his lips and nodded, eyes gleaming.
"Of course. A chaotic Konoha... how thrilling."
"Tch. Partnering with a freak like you… disgusting."
Sasori sneered, but he didn't object.
"Pain. You and Konan—come with me."
Obito's gaze landed on the pair.
"We're heading straight to the Uchiha. That's where tonight's real show begins."
"No problem."
Pain's reply was cold. He looked toward Konoha in the distance and chuckled faintly.
"Don't disappoint me, Konoha. I'm really looking forward to tonight's performance."
—
"Captain, how much longer is your shift?"
At a Konoha outpost, a bored young ninja yawned and asked the middle-aged ninja beside him.
"What's the rush?"
The older man shook his head and laughed.
"Don't tell me you're itching to get back to your girlfriend?"
"Captain!"
The younger ninja flushed. Though embarrassed, he shot back defiantly.
"This is Konoha, after all. Who'd be dumb enough to try anything here?"
"You're just missing your girl."
"Yep! Totally!"
"You jerks, I don't even have a girlfriend yet!"
Their banter made the other stationed shinobi laugh. The atmosphere was relaxed—this was the Leaf Village. Who would dare cause trouble here?
But just as those carefree smiles spread across their faces—
A blazing floodlight swept over the forest below. In that instant, countless shadows surged into view!
The laughter stopped dead. Stunned, they watched as a flood of shinobi gathered below.
Then—
Whizz!
Kunai rained up toward the lookout post in a deadly barrage. Panic set in.
"Enemy attack! Sound the alarms! Launch the flares!"
Woooo—
Woooo—
Woooo—
A heavy alarm blared through Konoha.
Near the village prison, waves of inmates broke through the gates, flooding toward the village center.
Ninjas tried to stop them—but these were hardened criminals, savage and remorseless. Few defenders could hold the line.
And everywhere the inmates went, fires ignited. Konoha plunged into chaos.
At least for now, the Uchiha compound remained untouched.
Under the silver moon, Uchiha Itachi moved calmly through the clan grounds. His eyes scanned everything.
Two patrolling shinobi crossed paths with him. Seeing it was Itachi, they paid him no mind and kept chatting.
"Hey, I heard you're gonna be a father. Congrats, man."
An older voice spoke warmly.
"Thanks. Boy or girl, I'll be happy either way."
The younger one chuckled proudly.
A father, huh?
Itachi passed by. But in the next instant, the younger ninja froze.
He stared in shock at the blade protruding from his chest—watching his own blood drip from its edge.
He tried to speak—but no sound came.
"You—!"
The older ninja's eyes widened, but he never got to finish. A pair of crimson Sharingan eyes locked onto his—and he collapsed without a word.
Silently, Itachi slipped past a house, pausing as voices sounded within. Then he stepped inside.
A man sat in the living room, polishing his blade—unaware that death had already entered his home.
Buzz—
"Hm?"
He looked up, alerted by the hum of steel. But it was too late.
All he saw was his own decapitated body—and a man wearing his face stepping into the bathroom.
"What are you doing? Get out! You're so annoying—"
The woman's voice was cut short by a flash of steel. Only the sound of running water remained.
"Get some rest. Staying up late's not good for your health."
Stepping outside, Itachi saw a pregnant woman knitting nearby. An old woman spoke gently.
"Chiye's out on patrol. He won't be back soon. You shouldn't tire yourself out."
"I'm fine, Grandma. I'm not sleepy yet."
The young woman smiled softly.
"Chiye wouldn't want to come home to an empty house. I'll wait for him a bit longer."
"You should be worrying more about the baby in your belly."
"Got it, Grandma. Do you think Chiye wants a boy or a girl?"
"Well, I'd say—"
She never finished. Uchiha Itachi was already behind them.
The slaughter continued. Merciless and indiscriminate.
Old or young. Man or woman. Civilians or shinobi—it didn't matter. Itachi spared no one.
Blood soaked the clan grounds as he advanced toward the family's heart.
—
"What a terrifying little monster…"
Space twisted and shimmered—Uchiha Obito emerged, flanked by Pain and Konan.
He stared at the carnage Itachi had unleashed—even he felt a chill.
Pain and Konan both frowned. Even they hadn't expected such cold-blooded efficiency from one man.
"That's enough gawking. Let's move."
Obito snapped at them, forcing himself to look away.
As horrifying as this was—it didn't concern them. Women, children, pregnant mothers… Itachi spared no one.
Still, this wasn't their concern.
"We need t—"
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"
A voice suddenly cut him off.
Obito turned—and his face instantly darkened.
Standing beside him without a sound, was—
Haruta.
—