Chapter 59: My Foolish Little Brother
Leaving the Hokage building, Uchiha Itachi prepared to return home. Hiruzen Sarutobi's counsel flashed through his mind—"Itachi, don't go back openly today. It's best not to be seen, especially not by members of the Uchiha clan."
Uchiha Itachi understood the Hokage's concerns, and he felt a slight pang in his heart.
He could feel endless malice enveloping him.
But at least, the Hokage trusted him.
Uchiha Itachi followed Hiruzen Sarutobi's advice, waiting until nightfall before returning to the Uchiha clan compound.
He quietly arrived at his doorstep.
However, just as he was about to enter, he hesitated.
"Sasuke…"
Uchiha Itachi murmured.
If the entire village was spreading rumors about his "future evil," then Sasuke must have heard them, right?
How would Sasuke look at him now?
Would he still cling to him as always?
Or would he furiously question him?
Or would their relationship become distant?
....
Unable to understand, Itachi simply gave up pondering. He entered the house, and the first person he saw was his mother.
"…Itachi." Uchiha Mikoto forced a gentle smile, her eyes filled with mixed emotions as she looked at her eldest son. She whispered, "Dinner is ready."
Uchiha Itachi silently walked into the room until he saw Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Sasuke sitting at the dining table.
He keenly noticed that Sasuke's eyes were a little red.
Uchiha Itachi's heart immediately ached.
"Let's eat," Fugaku dully broke the silence, showing no interest in saying "I'll start first." He didn't even look at Itachi when he walked in.
Sasuke, however, couldn't eat a bite.
He looked at Itachi blankly, his voice carrying a hint of hope and pleading: "Brother, that's all fake… right? Such a thing couldn't possibly happen… right?"
Uchiha Itachi sighed inwardly. Seeing Sasuke's almost tearful expression, Uchiha Itachi's gaze, which had initially been hesitant and pained, gradually became firm and resolute.
"It's true."
He spoke expressionlessly: "If someone were to disrupt Konoha's peace, such a thing would inevitably happen."
Uchiha Mikoto's movements paused.
Fugaku's chopsticks stopped.
Sasuke froze on the spot.
"Why… we… we are family! Father, Mother… they are not bad people, they are family…" Sasuke clutched the hem of his clothes, his voice trembling and choked with questions, breaking the new silence.
Uchiha Itachi gazed at his younger brother. He gradually realized that with Sasuke's overly dependent and weak mindset, he would not be able to grow into an excellent ninja in the future.
Since his future self had spared only Sasuke during the massacre of the Uchiha clan.
That meant his future self intended for Sasuke to inherit his will to protect Konoha.
But Sasuke's current capacity seemed too weak, too cowardly, in Uchiha Itachi's eyes.
Uchiha Itachi suppressed his soft-heartedness. His voice was cold as he uttered each word: "Sasuke, you don't understand the real me."
Sasuke's eyes widened, his face filled with confusion.
"In my heart, there is no concept of family. I have things I must do, and anyone who hinders me, I will eventually kill them." Uchiha Itachi, who had just sat down, stood up again.
He turned and left without looking back, adding a few final remarks: "When that time comes, you won't be an exception, Sasuke. Because the future will change according to my will. I won't 'leave you alone' as Uchiha Ikeizumi said."
"Sasuke, you are too weak. You are just a follower who clings to me all day, always trailing behind me. Your pathetic weakness means there's no possibility of you stopping me."
"My foolish little brother, just barely survive this last year of your life with this fear and unease."
"One year from now, I will include you with the others…"
—Slap!!!
Uchiha Itachi didn't utter the last two words because Uchiha Mikoto had decisively slapped him across the face.
The force of the slap was light, much lighter than Izumi's slap.
"Itachi, take back everything you said… and apologize to Sasuke."
Uchiha Mikoto spoke through clenched teeth, her eyes welling with tears. Her vision was blurred, and her own flesh and blood felt strangely unfamiliar to her at that moment.
Uchiha Itachi took a deep breath. He didn't apologize but slowly said, "Father knows why I would make such a choice. Mother, though you may not understand me now, when that time comes… you will definitely understand me."
Sasuke stared blankly as all this unfolded.
It wasn't until his elder brother's back disappeared into the darkness outside that Sasuke's little head felt dizzy from the onslaught of countless negative emotional waves.
Before his consciousness faded, he vaguely heard his mother frantically call his name.
Then he lost consciousness and fainted.
....
Meanwhile.
Root base.
Danzō received bad news from a Root ninja—none of the subordinates he sent out today to incite negative public opinion against Uchiha Itachi had returned!
He had sent out eight ANBU ninja, with the lowest rank being Elite Chunin, and some even Special Jonin.
Moreover, the mission assigned to them wasn't dangerous.
Yet, they had all vanished without a trace?
Danzō's face was grim, his brows tightly furrowed.
The fleeting joy of secretly slandering the Uchiha clan had completely vanished. He gritted his teeth and ordered his subordinate, "Aren't you going to investigate quickly? Bring them all back to this old man!"
"Yes, Lord Danzō!"
"Wait!" Just then, Danzō stopped his subordinate, as a possibility occurred to him.
This made his expression even more sullen.
A vein throbbed on Danzō's forehead as he squeezed out each word through clenched teeth: "Go directly to the Yamanaka clan and investigate!"
The Root ninja was startled: "The Yamanaka clan…"
Danzō growled fiercely, "This old man believes this matter is inextricably linked to that inherently evil Uchiha brat! Since that brat possesses the power to see through past and future evil, my subordinates probably have nowhere to hide from him. No matter how meticulous their disguise, he can see through it instantly."
Danzō strongly suspected that the eight missing Root ninja had already become eight corpses!
According to that evil Uchiha brat's killing habits.
Anyone he killed would surely be handed over to the Yamanaka clan.
Because Uchiha Ikeizumi, that guy, usually doesn't bother with interrogation procedures; he directly executes the evildoers in his eyes.
And for the Police Force to find evidence of the deceased's crimes, they could only rely on the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques.
...
Danzō was right.
Within the Yamanaka clan compound, Inoichi Yamanaka looked at the eight bodies, covered with white cloths, lying on the ground, a headache plaguing him.
"Sigh…"
He let out a heavy sigh, feeling that tonight he would again be forced to learn many secrets he wished he didn't know.
Inoichi Yamanaka didn't know how it happened.
Ever since Uchiha Ikeizumi began executing his [Absolute Justice] in Konoha, the Yamanaka clan had ironically become the ninja clan with the best relationship with the Uchiha clan.
Even if it was mostly just business dealings, and usually only a nodding acquaintance.
It was still a much better relationship than that of other ninja clans with the Uchiha.
Chapter 58: Uchiha Itachi
"Have you found out who's spreading these rumors against Itachi in Konoha?!"
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Uchiha Itachi, and an ANBU ninja stood.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood with his hands behind his back in front of the office window, his face grim, as he asked the ANBU ninja behind him.
The ANBU ninja, head bowed, honestly replied, "We haven't found out yet, but it seems to have originated from the Uchiha clan."
Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled deeply.
He turned and walked towards Uchiha Itachi, saying with remorse, "Itachi, I apologize. This old man failed to promptly detect the spread of negative public opinion against you and did not curb it immediately."
Early this morning, Hiruzen Sarutobi had told Uchiha Itachi to forget what he had discussed with Uchiha Ikeizumi, and also instructed him not to tell anyone else about it.
The purpose was to help Uchiha Itachi conceal his so-called future evil.
But who could have known...
In just half a day, rumors about Itachi's "future evil" had spread throughout the entire village.
And with many people adding their own embellishments.
It had turned into full-blown gossip!
Uchiha Itachi, however, shook his head calmly. He said, "Hokage-sama, I don't care. My personal reputation is far less important to me than a peaceful and stable Konoha."
He lowered his gaze to his hanging hands and added, "It's not a bad thing. It allows me to get used to being scorned and cursed by countless people in advance."
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused.
This child, Itachi... he must truly believe, unwaveringly, that he will annihilate the Uchiha clan in the future.
....
When Uchiha Sasuke returned alone to the Uchiha clan compound, he was completely dazed, with two faint, un-wiped tear stains still on his small face.
The whites of his eyes were somewhat red and bloodshot, his expression had lost its usual vibrancy, and his gaze seemed to have lost its sparkle.
The moment he stepped into the Uchiha compound, Sasuke distinctly felt many gazes fixed on him.
This made him feel as if he had daggers in his back, making him uncomfortable all over.
"This brat... he's Uchiha Itachi's bastard brother, isn't he, the one called Uchiha Sasuke?"
"He's Uchiha Itachi's blood relative. Hey, hey, he's not going to try to kill us all too, is he? Keeping this brat in the Uchiha clan will only cause trouble, won't it?"
"I heard these two brothers are very close. Maybe we should capture this brat and use him to threaten Uchiha Itachi..."
"Will this brat die by Uchiha Itachi's hand in the future? I clearly remember that beast even killed his own parents."
Faint whispers reached Sasuke's ears.
Sasuke broke out in a cold sweat.
He no longer dared to argue with them about whether his brother was good or bad, nor did he dare to linger on the street. Even though this street was within the Uchiha clan compound, he didn't dare to stay long.
Sasuke hastily quickened his pace, heading home with his head down.
....
"...Fugaku, you knew all along, didn't you?" Uchiha Mikoto looked at her silent husband with a complex expression.
Today, many clan members had come to visit.
Some clan members came furiously to question, while others came with confusion to inquire... In the end, these people were either dismissed or appeased by Fugaku.
Having lived with Fugaku for so many years, Mikoto knew that her husband had been lying while talking to these clan members!
Even just hearing snippets from their mouths made Uchiha Mikoto understand what was going on.
Facing his wife's gaze, Fugaku sighed.
He no longer remained silent. Looking at his unconsciously clenched fists, he replied in a low voice, "I knew this morning... because I went to see Ikeizumi with Itachi, and I heard it directly from Ikeizumi himself. You should also know that while Ikeizumi holds a prejudice against Itachi, at least what he says contains no lies or deception."
Uchiha Mikoto froze in place, her entire being feeling as if the strength had been drained from her, swaying uncontrollably.
Fugaku quickly got up to support Uchiha Mikoto.
"Ike... Ikeizumi... Hah! Did Ikeizumi say anything more detailed about the 'future'?" On Uchiha Mikoto's beautiful face, her delicate lips were subtly pale. She asked tremblingly, "In the future, Itachi... will he kill Sasuke too?"
Fugaku shook his head: "Only Sasuke is spared."
This morning, Fugaku had not heard the name "Uchiha Sasuke" mentioned as a victim of the clan massacre by Uchiha Ikeizumi.
At this point, he suddenly paused, as if something had occurred to him.
Fugaku added, "Nor Ikeizumi."
Just then.
The couple heard a slight gasp from outside the door. Turning to look, they saw Sasuke leaning on the doorframe with one hand, his small face pale, his eyes tear-filled, and breathing heavily.
"I..."
Sasuke bit his lip hard, breaking the skin, the faint metallic taste of blood making it difficult for him to speak: "I know too."
Fugaku was stunned.
Silent for several seconds.
He sighed deeply.
....
Whoosh—The sharp ninja blade instantly severed both arms of a Root ninja disguised as a Konoha civilian.
Izumi, closely following Uchiha Ikeizumi, threw two kunai.
The kunai precisely pinned the Root ninja's feet to the ground.
Intense pain caused the Root ninja's entire body to tremble slightly.
"Phew, that's the third one today..." Izumi wiped away the glistening sweat from her forehead. After she and Senior Ikeizumi parted ways with Sasuke.
She had followed Senior Ikeizumi, "hunting" Root ninja released by Danzō to spread rumors throughout Konoha.
While the Root ninja's crime of "spreading rumors" was not punishable by death.
The crimes they had previously committed were sufficient for capital punishment.
In Senior Ikeizumi's words: the entire Root, except for the war orphans just recruited and brainwashed, not one is innocent; killing them all would not result in a single wrongful death.
Therefore, Izumi had no psychological burden whatsoever.
After all, she unconditionally trusted Senior Ikeizumi's judgment!
Looking at the Root ninja who had collapsed from excessive blood loss.
Izumi felt that this guy probably wouldn't last another minute.
There was no need for rescue.
"You do it." When Senior Ikeizumi's cold voice sounded, Izumi decisively drew her ninja blade and walked forward, unhesitatingly slitting the Root ninja's throat.
—I am executing [Absolute Justice].
Izumi kept reminding herself.
But at this moment, she suddenly felt strange, sensing that the power within her body had inexplicably grown stronger. This bizarre illusion made her somewhat afraid.
Afraid that "bloodlust" was her true nature.
Afraid that she would be controlled by killing.
"Senior, my body..." Izumi decided to tell Senior Ikeizumi about the abnormality she felt in her body.
Before she could finish, she was interrupted by Senior Ikeizumi, as usual.
"This is the [Absolute Justice]'s gift."
Uchiha Ikeizumi slowly said, "Without absolutely powerful strength, how else would you execute absolute justice in the ninja world?"
.....
For early access to 50 advanced chapters on p_treon
p_treon.com/Chaos_God
Thank you so much for your support and for reading