The next day.
Two shocking pieces of news swept through Konoha like a hurricane:
Uchiha Keizumi had personally killed more than a dozen smugglers and dealers involved in trafficking massive amounts of contraband drugs.
And the Shimura clan's attempt to assassinate Uchiha Keizumi had backfired spectacularly—he had wiped out the entire clan in retaliation.
"Uchiha Hayata, Uchiha Naoto, and that guy Uchiha Masa... They were all members of our Uchiha clan. And just because they were smuggling contraband, that guy decided to kill them? Does he not understand what it means to be part of the same bloodline?"
"I heard it wasn't just our Uchiha clansmen who died. Ninja from other clans got caught up in it too. The Utatane clan, and the Mitokado clan, for example."
"If I'm remembering right, Uchiha Hayata was Elder Setsuna's grandson, wasn't he? That arrogant punk?"
"Tch. So this 'Absolute Justice' of his, where even blood ties mean nothing and only right or wrong matters—it turns out he wasn't bluffing."
"People from the Police Force said the explosion at the Uchiha compound last night was caused by the Shimura clan. Keizumi charged into their compound alone and annihilated them all."
"Shimura clan? As in that Shimura Danzō? Serves them right! They stole a bunch of our Sharingan!"
"Honestly, Uchiha Keizumi has more backbone than the clan head ever did."
"…"
The Uchiha clan's internal reaction was the most intense. Some were furious at Keizumi's "reckless slaughter" of fellow clansmen; others admired his unwavering Absolute Justice; and many couldn't help but compare him directly with Uchiha Fugaku.
And then they realized—
The clan head they had once chosen…
Wasn't even as capable as a single young Uchiha.
Just the fact that the Shimura clan had infiltrated the Uchiha compound and planted a massive number of explosive tags, causing substantial destruction—
Did Uchiha Fugaku do anything about it?
Did he immediately confront the Shimura clan to demand an explanation?
Did he rally the entire Uchiha clan to surround the Shimura compound?
No.
Uchiha Fugaku didn't do anything!
In contrast, regardless of Uchiha Keizumi's motives for exterminating the Shimura clan, at the very least—he acted.
That long-suffocated rage had finally been released.
And many among the Uchiha felt a sense of vindication and pride swell within them.
They had endured in silence for years.
They had yielded, step by step, for years.
Finally—they could stand up and fight back!
"Elder Setsuna, please lead us in joining forces with Uchiha Keizumi and impeach that coward Fugaku!"
And so, a number of radical Uchiha shinobi hurried to find Uchiha Setsuna, voices brimming with excitement as they said: "Right now, Uchiha Keizumi possesses the greatest individual combat strength of our entire clan—even the Hokage of Konoha fears him. And you, Elder Setsuna, are the leader of the Uchiha radical faction. With a single command, you could launch a coup across all of Konoha aimed directly at the Hokage!"
"In this situation, if you and Keizumi join forces, it will be the union of absolute strength and leadership. Fugaku's faction will be completely suppressed. The weak and cowardly Uchiha clan will cease to exist—replaced by a new Uchiha clan standing tall atop Konoha!"
"If [Absolute Justice] and the radical will can be perfectly fused, then Uchiha Fugaku won't even be able to make a ripple. The only thing left for him to do will be to hand over the clan head's position."
Their resentment toward Fugaku greatly pleased Uchiha Setsuna.
But the way they praised Uchiha Keizumi—
That made Setsuna's expression darken.
Did they…
Did they not realize that his grandson had been slaughtered by Uchiha Keizumi?!
One young radical suddenly declared, "Elder Setsuna, Hayata died because he was useless and mediocre! If he had even the slightest awareness of Konoha's current situation, he wouldn't have blundered headfirst into Keizumi's line of fire. Besides, stashing that many illegal drugs inside the Uchiha compound? That alone proves something was wrong with his head."
"For the sake of the Uchiha clan's future, we should cast off such foolish kin."
"And surely, Elder Setsuna wouldn't mourn the death of such a fool… would you?"
Uchiha Setsuna: "…"
Before he could respond, another radical beside him chimed in sharply, "Elder Setsuna's magnanimity is no less than Uchiha Keizumi's! Keizumi killed his own blood kin for the sake of justice. Likewise, Elder Setsuna can surely set aside his grandson for the sake of the Uchiha's grand cause."
Uchiha Setsuna: "???"
…
Meanwhile.
"Father… why didn't you stop Sasuke?" Uchiha Itachi fixed his gaze intently on Fugaku's eyes. "The position of [Absolute Justice] is fundamentally opposed to Konoha. If Sasuke chooses to follow Uchiha Keizumi's [Absolute Justice]… then his future will be completely destroyed!"
In Itachi's mind, his decision to spare Sasuke in the future was based on one hope:
That Sasuke would protect the fragile peace of Konoha.
And precisely because of that, he could no longer sit still.
Sasuke—who was meant to protect Konoha in the future—if he joined the camp of [Absolute Justice], his path would be utterly derailed!
This was completely different from what Itachi had envisioned or planned.
Why was he so certain that Absolute Justice stood opposed to Konoha?
Because that was the conclusion Itachi reached after observing Uchiha Keizumi's actions.
In his eyes, Keizumi's so-called "execution of justice" was nothing more than a constant weakening of Konoha's strength.
One shinobi after another had died by his hand, and even the higher-ups of the village had felt the blow.
The Shimura clan, in particular, had been ruthlessly annihilated by Uchiha Keizumi!
That kind of [Justice] filled Uchiha Itachi with deep revulsion.
"Itachi… I'm lost."
Fugaku let out a sigh. In front of his eldest son, he finally opened up, speaking slowly, "What exactly is the right thing to do? You fight for Konoha. I fight for balance. Keizumi fights for justice. Setsuna fights for power…"
"When Sasuke came home, I wanted to scold him. But your mother said—Sasuke made the right choice. She said that Keizumi's justice, at the very least, can ensure most of the Uchiha survive."
"Mikoto said: the more I try to maintain the balance between both sides, the more unstable the scales become, and in the end, I'll please neither. The more Setsuna tries to seize power, the more tensions will escalate, pushing the Uchiha into the abyss. And you, with your heart set on Konoha—your ending has already been foretold."
He simply repeated what his wife had told him the night before.
Fugaku's eyes flickered with an unprecedented blend of confusion and helplessness.
Even the person closest to him didn't support the path he was walking.
Instead, she supported… an outsider.
This was something Fugaku had never expected.
At that moment, Uchiha Itachi said, expressionless, "Father, Mother's view is too narrow. She has never truly experienced the complexities of the situation. In the end, she is still just a woman. Her perspective is too short-sighted, too limited."
"She naively believes that Uchiha Keizumi's so-called Absolute Justice is the way forward for the Uchiha clan."
"She should never have indulged Sasuke in going down the wrong path—and you should never have wavered just because of what she said. She has never made any true decisions. So how could she possibly see the full picture?"
He paused here. His expression did not change.
"Father, your chances… have already run out."
Fugaku was momentarily stunned.
And then, all at once—he suddenly remembered something.
"But listen," Uchiha Itachi continued, "Last time, I said I wanted to deal with the increasingly dangerous and uncontrollable Uchiha clan in my own way. But you, Father, insisted on giving yourself one more chance—to try again."
"Now, that attempt has failed." Itachi spoke calmly. "I will not let the Uchiha clan spiral out of control. And I will never allow it to endanger Konoha."
He locked eyes with Fugaku, staring into his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Are you going to stop me, Father?" Itachi asked. "I remember you once said, no matter what decision I make—you would be proud of me."
Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan slowly dimmed.
He opened his mouth…
But not a single word came out.
Even as he watched Itachi walk away—
He still didn't lift a hand to stop his son.
…
"Is it just my imagination… or has the average villager's opinion of him mellowed out a bit?" Kakashi murmured to himself. "Or rather… maybe some of the rumors and false accusations are finally clearing up. People are gradually realizing that as long as they don't commit any crimes, Uchiha Keizumi generally doesn't target them."
"In fact, they almost seem to recognize that Uchiha Keizumi is helping root out Konoha's criminals one by one. At the very least, things like theft and fraud… you hear about them less and less these days."
While Naruto was still attending the Academy, Kakashi had found himself with little to do.
He had merely wandered through the village for a bit, yet everywhere he went, people were talking about Uchiha Keizumi.
It was different from before. Back then, any time Keizumi came up, people would whisper in fear and tread carefully with their words, afraid he might overhear.
Now, they discussed him openly—some even excitedly.
"His power is changing the foundations of Konoha."
Just as Kakashi was mulling over this…
A thunderous slap landed on his back out of nowhere.
"Gah—! Cough! Cough, cough!!"
Caught completely off guard, Kakashi doubled over, coughing violently.
He raised his dull, dead-fish eyes with visible annoyance—only to see those unmistakably thick eyebrows.
And then—
A blinding grin with two full rows of pearly white teeth.
"Kakashi! I'm back!!" Might Guy gave him a massive thumbs-up.
Ah…
The troublesome one has returned.
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