"Not even the Sage of Six Paths can stop me?"
Arrogant, utterly arrogant!
He completely disregards everyone!
So this... is the Uchiha?
Proud, overbearing, full of themselves, acting above everyone else — right now, Uchiha Itachi was showing the Uchiha clan's arrogance to the fullest.
"Itachi—" Kakashi tried to speak, wanting to remind him that this bloodshed could upset the other major clans. Leave a way out for others, and they might do the same for you someday. After all, many in Root were civilian shinobi or side-branch members of noble families.
But Itachi cut him off.
"Kakashi, the Hokage's orders were clear — if they resist, kill them on the spot. No matter who they are."
"Did you not hear that? Do you need me to repeat it?"
Itachi's voice was cold and emotionless.
"...This—"
Kakashi and the ANBU felt a chill run down their spines.
He didn't call him "Captain Kakashi" this time. That meant Itachi was serious.
His crimson Sharingan locked onto the ANBU as he spoke:
"I know your clans are just watching, waiting for the Sarutobi and Shimura clans to tear each other apart."
"But we Uchiha aren't like that."
"Anyone who gets in our way... will die."
"Tell your people in Root — surrender now, or no one leaves alive."
"Hmph. No one leaves alive? Who do you think you are, Madara Uchiha? And who the hell do you Uchiha think you are? You expect Root to just surrender because you said so? You really think you've already won?"
A Root member who had been faking a fight with ANBU finally spoke up.
He knew about Danzo's deal with Orochimaru. Once Danzo returned, both the Hokage and the Uchiha were done for — no one would be able to stop it.
Right now, the Sarutobi and Uchiha clans were just putting on a show before dying.
"Heh... You ask who the Uchiha are?"
Itachi's tone sharpened.
"Cases ANBU can't solve — we solve."
"People ANBU won't arrest — we arrest."
"Listen up: today, the ones ANBU don't dare to kill — we kill. The things ANBU don't dare to touch — we handle."
"Bottom line: if ANBU can do it, we can. If they can't, we still will."
"Act first, report later. Hokage-granted authority. This is the Uchiha way. Got it?"
Itachi turned coolly and looked at the Root ninja with piercing eyes.
At that moment, Uchiha Shisui appeared behind the Root ninja in a flash — using Body Flicker Technique — and without a word, swung his blade.
The man's head rolled to the ground.
Blood splashed through the air as Itachi's cold gaze bore down, chilling everyone to the bone.
"This is..."
"Too arrogant!"
"He actually killed him!"
"The Uchiha have lost it!"
The ANBU and Root members were horrified. Itachi had just forced the other clans to take sides.
Pick the right one and live. Pick wrong, and it's over.
There was no turning back now.
"Let me ask again. Which clan still wants to sit this out? Which one is still trying to wait and see?"
Itachi delivered his final warning.
"I—I surrender!"
"I surrender too!"
The other clans' Root members hesitated, fear in their eyes. One by one, they dropped their weapons and surrendered.
They didn't want to die.
The Root shinobi from the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans looked across at their family members in ANBU. Seeing their clan members nod, they too dropped their weapons and knelt, raising their hands in surrender.
It wasn't that they couldn't fight — the Uchiha were just too ruthless.
They had no interest in politics or alliances.
The Sarutobi and Shimura had their own issues. Why was the Uchiha getting involved?
Figures. The Uchiha were all battle-crazed lunatics.
"What's wrong? You all turning pacifist today? Not planning to kill anyone?"
Itachi said coldly.
"This..."
The other clans hesitated. Taking action meant there was no going back — they would be openly breaking with Danzo and the Shimura clan.
"If none of you are willing to fight... then we Uchiha, along with the Sarutobi, will handle it ourselves."
Itachi sighed.
He waved his hand.
The remaining Uchiha beside him let out cold laughs, their red Sharingan flaring. With twisted grins and deadly killing intent, they charged forward.
Their blades were long overdue for blood.
Itachi Uchiha's overwhelmingly powerful words just now had not only intimidated the Anbu and Root members but also shocked their own Uchiha clan!
Especially Itachi Uchiha's graceful turn, his cool, handsome gaze, and that phrase, "Is that clear enough?"—it was absolutely explosive in its dominance!
At his command, the Uchiha moved as one.
Like wolves in a sheepfold, they resumed the slaughter of the Shimura clan.
That's right—what ANBU wouldn't do, the Uchiha would.
The ones ANBU wouldn't kill, the Uchiha would kill.
Act first, report later. Hokage's authority. This is the Uchiha way.
Seeing the bloodthirsty Uchiha, the ANBU members from other clans were terrified.
They realized if they didn't act soon, their own clan members still inside Root could be wiped out too.
By then, it'd be too late to cry.
They saw it clearly — even those who had already surrendered were still being targeted.
Fire Release jutsu, shuriken, kunai — they kept flying toward their people.
If they waited too long, even one stray attack could turn their loved ones into pincushions or burn them to ash.
This was both a warning and a threat.
"Kill them!"
"The Shimura clan has committed treason — unforgivable!"
"Everyone has the right to execute them!"
The ANBU finally snapped and joined the attack.
"Mind Body Switch Jutsu!"
"Shadow Imitation Jutsu!"
"Partial Expansion Jutsu: Human Boulder!"
The Akimichi blocked attacks with their massive bodies, the Nara clan restrained enemies with shadows, and the Yamanaka clan took over enemy minds.
Working together, even Jonin-level Shimura couldn't hold out for long.
Soon, the Shimura clan's base lay in ruins. Their members were either dead or captured.
Only the Root shinobi from the noble clans were spared.
As for the Shimura—none escaped.
The Sarutobi clan was even more brutal than the Uchiha.
Itachi had only targeted fighters.
The Sarutobi?
They killed anyone who showed their face — no exceptions.
One strike, no mercy.
"You dare betray Lord Danzo?! Our Shimura clan will never forgive you! Danzo-sama will never forgive you!"
A Root ninja screamed in fury.
They never expected one line from Itachi would shatter their entire alliance.
The other clans had truly turned against them.
"Captain Kakashi, since the Shimura clan isn't letting you off. Don't you think it's time to make a move?"
Itachi handed him a list.
The title "Captain" made Kakashi's hairs stand on end.
He knew — this was serious.
Kakashi and the ANBU looked at the list — their eyes widened.
It was a roster of all Shimura clan members still working in various parts of Konoha.
The Sarutobi and Uchiha... were going for complete extermination.
"Some Shimura members are still working outside. It's daytime."
"The rest is up to you."
"The Hokage's instructions — you understand, right?"
Itachi's Sharingan gleamed.
"I'll say it again — if they resist, kill them where they stand."
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin