"Clan Leader! Clan Leader! Something terrible has happened!"
Early in the morning.
Outside Motonami Uchiha's home, a figure came running from afar, shouting as he ran.
"What's going on?"
Motonami Uchiha slightly frowned. As an elite of the Uchiha clan, how could someone act so panicky when facing a problem?
"Clan Leader, please look at this—the latest comic from Sakuma Akaba's manga shop this morning."
"Hmm."
Motonami Uchiha took it and glanced at it briefly before frowning again. He looked up and said, "I remember you were assigned patrol duties protecting the village. Why did you leave your post to come here without permission?"
"Just look at the manga—"
"No matter the reason, leaving your station while on duty means you'll have to report to the Military Police for punishment."
Motonami gave him a light rap on the head with the manga.
The Uchiha bowed deeply and then hurried off toward the Military Police HQ.
As the Clan Leader had said, although he was a member of the Uchiha clan, he was also part of the Military Police responsible for protecting the village. Leaving his post had indeed been a mistake.
Motonami glanced at the manga in his hand and thought deeply.
This volume must depict something important. That guy risked breaking protocol just to bring it here—was it related to the events of the Uchiha Clan Massacre?
At that moment, the commotion grew louder within the compound.
Looks like it is.
Motonami flipped open the first page. The content continued from where the previous chapters about Itachi and Sasuke's daily interactions left off.
From what he'd seen earlier, Itachi was clearly a devoted older brother. But the sweeter these moments were now, the more painful they'd become once the tragedy unfolded.
Motonami had already figured out part of it.
The Sharingan was the Eye that Sees Through Souls. Gaining love, understanding love, then losing it awakens unimaginable power—the key to awakening one's Sharingan.
Whether intentionally or not, Sasuke was going through exactly this process.
Of course,
For Itachi, it might have been the same path too.
With that thought in mind, he continued reading, eventually reaching the section where Itachi discussed his theory of "hate" with Sasuke. His suspicions solidified further.
Itachi's ultimate goal was to help Sasuke awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan—the forbidden power of the Uchiha clan.
What a brutal plan.
Motonami sighed softly. Turning the next page, given that the ending of the massacre was already known, there was no need to elaborate further.
However, Shisui soon made an appearance—
Even though Shisui was only mentioned in dialogue, Motonami still sensed his uniqueness.
This character wasn't just another generic side figure.
Judging from Itachi's reaction, he must share a special connection with him—possibly even a close friend.
Suicide by drowning? Mangekyo?
"Willing to put himself on the front line for every mission? What a ridiculous claim—no different from the fools who want to abandon the village."
Motonami couldn't help but sneer.
He didn't care about the words of the will itself. What they truly cared about losing was simply a useful tool named "Vanish in an Instant Shisui." They never considered other clan members' feelings, caring only about their own 'great cause.'
The Uchiha depicted in the manga were even more unhinged than expected.
Shisui Uchiha's sacrifice had been meaningless.
Just as he wrote in his note, there was no hope left at all. Unwilling to raise his blade against his own clansmen, suicide had been his only choice.
These were just guesses, but he believed this must have been exactly what happened. As expected, Itachi had already awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Reading through passage after passage, he fell into silence.
He hesitated before turning the next page.
Except for a few minor details, everything described above closely resembled how he interacted with his deceased older and younger brothers—especially reminding him of Kagami.
Kagami, a man who cherished the village and clan deeply, ended up being pressured and ostracized by his own people.
It was the same tragic pattern repeating itself.
If not for Akaba's provocation accelerating the internal conflicts within the Uchiha clan, perhaps he wouldn't have resolved so decisively to cut away the rot.
In the end, would the Uchiha clan give birth to another Itachi Uchiha or Shisui Uchiha?
Yes.
Itachi Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha symbolized the tragedy of the old Uchiha—they were more than just two individuals; they were a symbol.
He took a deep breath and continued reading onward.
Now that the Mangekyo had appeared...
["The Mangekyo Sharingan requires one condition: killing your closest friend!"]
That final sentence on the page startled Motonami Uchiha.
No wonder—it was this!
By killing a friend, one could obtain the power of the Mangekyo.
This was the Uchiha clan's most important secret, now exposed before everyone in Konoha.
How dared he draw this out! How dared he write something like this!
There was still one more chapter.
Motonami Uchiha flipped through quickly, soon reaching the follow-up conversation between Itachi Uchiha and Sasuke.
["The true secret of the Uchiha lies hidden within the Naka River."]
The Naka River?
How could Sakuma Akaba possibly know this!
Motonami Uchiha immediately activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, gripped the manga tightly, initiated the Body Flicker Technique, and sped swiftly toward the Hokage Tower.
However, as he stepped outside, anguished cries pierced through the air.
What happened?
Could it be that someone actually—
Furious beyond measure, he created several Shadow Clones and sent them rushing toward the source of the screams.
After scouting the area, Motonami received reports and finally felt relieved—there was no internal rebellion happening. The screams earlier were due to many clansmen experiencing an improvement in their Sharingan vision—some advancing from single tomoe to double, others upgrading from two to three tomoe.
Receiving feedback from his clones, his mood turned complex.
Though no one had done anything reckless, Akaba's actions undeniably sowed seeds of chaos, planting unrest among the clan.
Still...
Most of all, he needed to know—how could Sakuma Akaba possibly have discovered this?
Had that kid sneaked secretly into their ancestral grounds!
A murderous glint flashed in Motonami Uchiha's eyes. If Akaba couldn't provide an explanation, he wouldn't hesitate to act regardless of past friendships.
Each clan's ancestral site was considered its holiest ground—the Naka Shrine was the spiritual heart of the Uchiha clan itself. Any outsider daring to trespass there would never be forgiven, whatever their reason.
Though he couldn't bring himself to kill Akaba outright, demanding answers from both the Sakuma clan and Danzo remained necessary.
He stood on solid moral ground.
If he didn't show his strength, he'd truly end up being bullied to death.
Hokage Tower.
It wasn't long before a large crowd had gathered, including the two main figures—Motonami Uchiha and Akaba.
"Good, everyone's here."
The Third let out a helpless sigh, then tapped the table with his pipe.
Akaba, who had dozed off, snapped awake in an instant.
He'd gotten up early that morning—he knew full well this chapter contained explosive material. He was aware it could provoke a huge uproar within the Uchiha ranks, but after thinking it over, he still chose to go ahead as planned.
Without this plotline, Itachi's whole character would fall apart halfway.
"Sakuma Akaba, do you have any explanation for today's artwork?"
Homura Mitokado spoke coldly.
Akaba gave him a sidelong glance and wiped his nose without saying anything. What a nobody—asking completely useless questions. Truly pathetic.
"Sakuma Akaba!"
"Homura, calm yourself a little."
Danzo shot him a sharp glare, then swept the room with his remaining eye. The meeting room fell silent—the Shadow of the Ninja World carried undeniable intimidation.
"The Naka River is where the Senju clan and the Uchiha clan fought and lived long ago. According to Lady Mito's manga, it's also where the First Hokage met Madara. If the Uchiha have secrets, they must be at the Naka Shrine."
Akaba said lazily, resting his head on one hand.
"That kind of reasoning won't convince me—or anyone else in the Uchiha or other clans."
Motonami Uchiha remained firm.
This wasn't something that could be brushed off with jokes or half-baked answers. For the Uchiha, an adequate explanation was absolutely necessary—otherwise, not only would the Uchiha, but other clans too, start suspecting Akaba.
Ancestral temples were sacred ground—the most revered places in every clan!
"Well, regarding the Uchiha's secrets, our clan has ancient records, too. I've heard that many generations ago, a massive internal conflict occurred within the Uchiha clan."
Another thing—there's no more effective way to trigger emotional trauma and awaken the Kaleidoscope Sharingan than by killing your closest friend or dearest family member."
Akaba paused, locking eyes with Motonami Uchiha.
That should be enough of an explanation.
Motonami Uchiha stayed quiet for a moment, then asked, "Is that all?"
"Yeah, that's all."
Akaba nodded.
"So you're telling me you've never been to the Uchiha ancestral grounds—the Naka Shrine?"
The Third's tone grew serious.
"I've never been there. In fact, I don't even know what the Naka Shrine looks like."
Akaba replied.
Motonami Uchiha activated his Sharingan, watching every subtle expression and movement from Akaba.
Finally, he exhaled slowly and said, "I believe you."
"So, the matter is resolved. May I leave now? There are many injured patients at the hospital awaiting further treatment and evaluation. And I don't have all day."
Koharu Utatane stood up, preparing to leave the meeting room.
"Koharu, wait a second!"
Homura Mitokado grew uneasy. Since when had she started acting so out of character? This was a critical village matter—could it really be swept under the rug just like that?
"What's wrong?"
"Now that Akaba's issue has been settled, let's talk about the Uchiha. Motonami Clan Head, could Madara Uchiha's betrayal in the past be related to the Uchiha's secret?"
Danzo coldly interjected.
Hmm?
Motonami Uchiha turned his head toward Danzo, then glanced at Akaba.
He thought for a few seconds before speaking: "I don't know, but I can confirm there exists something like that. It documents our Uchiha history. The large-scale internal conflict Akaba mentioned is also documented within, along with a deeply guarded secret."
"I see..."
The Third sat upright, fully attentive.
"It's highly likely that the Uchiha are direct bloodline descendants of the Sage of Six Paths. Our ancestor was once the biological brother of the Senju clan's ancestor. Back then, something happened..."
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