"Heh… interesting."
Without a flicker of emotion, Obito reached out and brushed his hand over the screaming Black Zetsu. Kamui activated in an instant—Black Zetsu was pulled into the void.
The haunting screams, which had even made Obito uneasy, finally came to an abrupt stop.
He lowered his gaze, eyes icy as he looked at Uchiha Itachi.
"Kid… seems like you don't get along with that brat. In fact, you don't seem to get along with the Uchiha at all. Strange, considering you're one of them. And yet here you are, plotting with outsiders against your own clan."
Obito's lone scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan narrowed. His voice was rough:
"Do you even know who I am? You really think I'd betray the Uchiha? By bloodline… I'm practically your ancestor."
Itachi took a slow breath and raised his head to meet the older man's gaze.
Expressionless, he replied, "My reasons are my own. I'm just here to ask if you want to work together. Regardless of your stance on the clan, one thing's clear—you definitely want Uchiha Chizumi dead."
"After all, he's the one who tortured your subordinate like that. That makes him our shared enemy. As for the clan talk… that was just to feel you out."
Obito let out a laugh—sharp, maniacal, and distinctly Uchiha.
"Amusing kid."
His smirk vanished. His voice turned cold.
"But once you go through with all this—colluding, killing Konoha shinobi—there's no place for you in Konoha. Not even in the Land of Fire."
Itachi calmly replied, "That's why I came to you."
"You're with the Akatsuki, right? If Konoha rejects me, maybe your group won't."
Obito raised an eyebrow and grinned slightly.
"Looks like not all of the Uchiha brats are spineless. Fine. I'll be in touch."
Hearing that from the self-proclaimed "ancestor," Itachi let out the smallest breath of relief.
I'm sorry, Father. Chizumi's influence in the village is growing fast. Sooner or later, his ideology will overshadow the Hokage.
I can't let that happen. And neither can the Hokage.
Even though he hasn't said it aloud, I know he's worried.
And within the clan—whether it's radicals like Setsuna or moderates like you—most have strange ideas about Chizumi.
This "Absolute Justice" is quietly taking over the clan… and soon, the whole village. It's even more dangerous than the radical factions.
As he watched Obito and the weird spiral-faced creature vanish, Itachi's mind raced.
He could already sense it—the village was reaching a breaking point.
Sooner or later, someone would have to back down. And in Itachi's eyes, it must not be the Hokage.
Because if that happened… then Konoha wouldn't belong to the Hokage anymore.
It'd belong to Uchiha Chizumi.
"You've made your choice," Itachi muttered. "Now be ready to pay for it."
Faces of his clansmen flashed through his mind—familiar and unfamiliar, kind and cruel. Children, elders, civilians, shinobi…
He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them with quiet resolve.
And turned back toward the village.
…
Just after leaving the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi was surprised when a Hyuga boy rushed toward him, a small green toad with purple hair perched on his shoulder.
He immediately recognized the toad—one of the sages from Mount Myōboku, and one of Jiraiya's mentors.
"Hokage-sama…"
Hyuga Neji reported everything he had seen, and Hiruzen's brow furrowed.
"A wooden golem?"
Suddenly, something clicked.
"Most likely Wood Release," Shima, the toad, said. "My husband and Jiraiya already rushed to the scene. We'll know who it is soon."
Hiruzen instinctively turned to one of the Anbu standing beside him.
That boy—Tenzo—had been rescued from Danzo. A successful experiment, and as far as Hiruzen knew, the only person in the world who could use Wood Release.
But now it looked like someone else had shown up. Someone not far from the village. Someone fighting.
Was it a Konoha shinobi? Or someone from outside?
"I understand," Hiruzen said, then barked an order: "Anbu, mobilize immediately! Tenzo, you lead two teams. Go back up Jiraiya."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
In a blur, the Anbu disappeared into the night.
"Ugh… one crisis after another," Hiruzen muttered, rubbing his aching forehead as he watched them leave. "Can't even catch my breath anymore."
This was the most exhausting time he'd had as Hokage. Not even the Third Great Ninja War had drained him like this.
He looked down at Neji.
He recognized the boy. A top-tier prodigy from the Academy. Naturally, he'd been keeping an eye on him.
Hiruzen smiled gently.
"Neji, thank you for sharing this information. But why were you outside the village so late?"
Neji lowered his head.
"I heard Uchiha Chizumi had left the village. I wanted to follow and see what he was doing. Jiraiya-sama caught me midway."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow.
"Chizumi?"
"I don't think the Will of Fire can bring justice for my father," Neji answered before Hiruzen could say anything else. "Only Chizumi's Absolute Justice can. Only he can hold the Main House accountable."
Hiruzen fell silent.
So… Hizashi's death still haunted the boy.
And honestly, Hiruzen couldn't blame him. Back then, when the Hidden Cloud made their outrageous demand, he had chosen not to retaliate—believing Konoha couldn't afford another war.
To calm the situation, he'd quietly let the Hyuga clan offer a "substitute."
And that sacrifice had been Hizashi.
It had triggered a tragedy—and birthed the resentment now standing before him.
And the guilt Hiruzen felt still clung to his chest.
I'm sorry, Neji. Back then… I did it for the village. But that doesn't change what you lost.
A little later, Neji returned to the Hyuga compound alone.
Shima the toad hopped off his shoulder but didn't go in.
Instead, she stood quietly outside the gates and muttered to herself,
"He's not the one Jiraiya's looking for…"
"There's too much darkness, too much hate in that boy. He's just like Nagato."
"If Jiraiya trains him, he'll raise another Pain, not a savior."
"The real Child of Prophecy—at the very least—should be someone like Minato. Someone who shines."
She shook her head.
"And this 'Absolute Justice' stuff… it's way too extreme. It'll just drag him from one extreme to another."
With her doubts confirmed, she didn't warn Neji.
It wasn't her job.
Her only concern was the one destined to save the world.
…
By now, Jiraiya had gotten the name out of Chizumi's mouth.
"Uchiha Obito…"
"Akatsuki…"
It all clicked. That's why Chizumi had called him Jiraiya's "grandstudent."
Obito had been trained by Minato, and Minato had been trained by Jiraiya.
Perched on Jiraiya's shoulder, Fukasaku kept his gaze locked on Chizumi. He could sense it—an overwhelming surge of chakra pulsing inside him, vast and deep like an ocean.
This wasn't chakra a normal person could possess. It was on the level of a Tailed Beast.
But what truly caught Fukasaku's attention… were those eyes. Chizumi's Mangekyō Sharingan.
As Chizumi turned to leave, Fukasaku suddenly coughed.
"Ahem!"
Still standing on Jiraiya's shoulder, he called out:
"Uchiha Chizumi… the Great Elder Toad once said you have special eyes. Eyes that can see the future. He even said your visions are more precise than his prophetic dreams."
There was a trace of doubt in the old sage's tone. He didn't fully believe that Chizumi's foresight surpassed the Great Elder's.
He hesitated, then asked, "So tell me… do you really know who the Child of Prophecy is?"
Chizumi replied without hesitation, "I do."
Before Fukasaku could ask anything else, Chizumi cut him off:
"But there's no reason for me to tell you. If the toads of Mount Myōboku could just stay where they belong—enjoying peace as reclusive sages—and stop meddling in shinobi affairs… maybe then I'd have considered telling you."
"But the moment you started trying to shape the future of the shinobi world, you and I stopped being on the same side. Especially that old toad of yours—his thousand-year-old ideology is fundamentally at odds with Absolute Justice."
Chizumi turned, his crimson eyes locking onto Fukasaku.
Fukasaku didn't know why, but being stared at by those eyes sent a shiver down his spine.
He instinctively looked away—unable to hold the gaze.
Chizumi's voice was cold and firm:
"Let me give you a word of advice—don't stand in the way of Absolute Justice. Even if you've never committed a crime, if you get in the way, you're still the enemy. Evil men deserve death. But the world's full of hopeless fools—and they're just as dangerous."
With that, Chizumi turned and walked away, giving the old toad no chance to respond.
Fukasaku was stunned.
Eight hundred years old, and I've seen a lot… but that brat really pissed me off.
"Disrespectful little punk!" he snapped. "Did he just flat-out say our Great Elder is a hopeless fool?"
Jiraiya wiped his forehead.
"Chizumi always speaks his mind. His words… can be a little harsh. Aha… Fukasaku-sensei, maybe don't take it too personally? He's just eighteen. Kids say dumb things sometimes."
"Besides, maybe he just doesn't understand what Mount Myōboku is really about. He probably heard bad rumors from somewhere else and misunderstood."
Ignorance is no crime, right?
Even if Jiraiya didn't fully agree with Chizumi's ideology, he couldn't help but be protective of him. Chizumi was still a Konoha shinobi.
"I'm not that petty!" Fukasaku snapped—but his whiskers were twitching in frustration.
Says the toad whose mustache is literally flaring.
Jiraiya thought it but didn't dare say it.
"Still…" Fukasaku gazed at Chizumi's disappearing figure. "Jiraiya, that Uchiha kid… he might really have clearer foresight than the Great Elder. That kind of confidence—there's no hiding it. And he's not even trying."
Jiraiya's expression stiffened.
Fukasaku went on, "But the scary part is—he's not following the future he saw. He's trying to change it. He's using his own path, his own justice, to rewrite what was already set in stone."
"That kind of mindset…"
"It's dangerous."
"It's extreme."
Jiraiya was silent for a moment before asking,
"So… is his version of Absolute Justice good for Konoha, or bad?"
Fukasaku took a moment, then answered:
"Absolute Justice is too black-and-white. It's bound to start more conflict. It doesn't suit peace."
"If Konoha stops pursuing peace, maybe it fits.
But if Konoha still believes in peace… then it doesn't."
"Jiraiya… only you can decide."
…
Meanwhile… In Kamui
Obito stood over Black Zetsu, who was still writhing in silent agony.
"What the hell kind of dojutsu is this…?" he muttered. "It doesn't kill, but this mental torment—it's beyond human limits."
Most people wouldn't survive this level of psychological pain. They'd beg for death.
Worse yet… if things had gone just slightly differently, he would've been the one screaming.
"Terrifying, huh?" said Spiral-Face White Zetsu, who was standing nearby, arms folded, pretending to shiver. "With a Sharingan technique like that, Chizumi's no joke."
"Are you sure we can really beat him with that barely-grown Uchiha kid on our side?"
Obito didn't answer. He didn't have one.
White Zetsu scratched its head.
"And we failed to kill Biwa Jūzō. That guy could leak everything to Konan and Nagato. Especially after tonight—we've burned our bridges. He's got no choice but to use what he knows."
Obito's expression darkened.
If it weren't for Chizumi, Jūzō would be dead by now. That was a fact.
He looked to Black Zetsu instinctively, hoping for guidance. Usually, Black Zetsu was full of ideas.
But right now? It couldn't even form a sentence.
White Zetsu piped up again, "So… are we still going with the original plan?"
Obito narrowed his eyes.
"…Uchiha Izumi, huh?"
He gave a cold nod.
"Go find Itachi. Tell him if he can take out Izumi first—prove his worth—I'll support him, whether it's to take down Chizumi or the entire Uchiha clan."
"I'll even bring him into the Akatsuki. If Konoha tries to hunt him, we'll protect him."
"…That'll be his initiation."
…
Before Itachi could even return to the village, Spiral-Face White Zetsu caught up to him.
"Yo, quick update!" it grinned. "Madara-sama says… if you want his support, you'll need to prove yourself first."
Itachi narrowed his eyes. "I saved that weird creature of yours. That's not enough?"
White Zetsu shrugged. "Eh, that was just enough to get your foot in the door. You're planning to wipe out the Uchiha anyway, right? So why not start with Uchiha Izumi? Should be easy… unless you're too close to her."
"If that's the case," it added with a sly grin, "maybe you're not worth the investment. Madara-sama only backs people who show real resolve."
Itachi's voice dropped. "And what if I do it… and you break your word?"
"Then you walk," Zetsu said cheerfully. "Find someone else. Go solo if you want. But hey, we both know you don't want to fail. Nobody does."
But before White Zetsu could blink, his vision blurred.
Shing!
A cold blade was suddenly pressed to his neck—deep enough to draw phantom pain, just shy of cutting flesh.
"Are you threatening me?" Itachi's voice dropped, eyes sharp.
White Zetsu immediately raised both hands. "Whoa, whoa! No ill will here!"
"Hmph." Itachi pulled his blade back and turned his back.
"You want to test my resolve?" he said coldly. "Fine. You'll see soon enough."
"But remember—next time you speak to me like that, I won't just kill you…"
"I'll kill him, too."
…
Hiruzen Sarutobi had been pacing, waiting on updates from Anbu, when Jiraiya returned—sooner than expected, face serious.
Without delay, Jiraiya relayed everything.
"Uchiha Obito? The one who used to be Minato's student? Faking his death? And now posing as Madara?"
Hiruzen was stunned. "Chizumi has Wood Release? And so do two other Akatsuki with him?"
He was reeling.
Obito… alive. Active in Akatsuki. Right outside Konoha?
Could Chizumi have known and gone out to intercept him?
And what the hell was going on with all these people suddenly having Wood Release?
Chizumi had no Senju blood. His parents were pure Uchiha.
"There's only one explanation," Jiraiya interrupted grimly.
"I think Orochimaru's the one who spread the First Hokage's cells outside the village. He's done Wood Release research. He definitely had samples."
Hiruzen clenched his jaw. "What possible motive would he have?"
"Maybe he used it as a bargaining chip to join Akatsuki," Jiraiya guessed.
Hiruzen's face darkened.
"O-ro-chi-ma-ru!"
Desecrating the First's body… leaking his cells… this was crossing a sacred line.
"Jiraiya," Hiruzen's voice turned icy, "I know you want to bring him back alive. But if he dies in the process…"
"…That's fine by me."
Jiraiya's heart sank.
He's not just angry. He's furious.
…
"Finally got those two brats back home," Anko said, her arm casually slung around Izumi's shoulders.
"I owe you. Let's hit the Akimichi place—my treat. We deserve a fat round of BBQ."
"It's worth celebrating," she added with a grin. "A whole night with no psychos on the loose? Just a few pickpockets? That's a win for justice, right?"
Izumi nodded. "Let me summon a ninja cat first—tell my mom not to make dinner."
As she performed the summoning hand sign, something felt… off.
Anko's face was normal. But her body language was stiff—barely perceptible.
If it hadn't been for Chizumi's recent training, Izumi wouldn't have noticed.
Then she saw it—Anko's eyes.
Suddenly, they shifted—filled with shock, rage, and pure hatred.
"OROCHIMARU!!!"
The name came out like a snarl, and Izumi instantly realized—
She's under a genjutsu!
Before she could react, Anko tackled her to the ground.
Izumi rolled back up just in time to see Anko draw a kunai and lunge.
Clang!
Izumi's blade flashed up, blocking the stab in the nick of time.
"Anko! Wake up! It's genjutsu!"
She activated her Sharingan—three tomoe spinning into focus.
Even though she wasn't a genjutsu expert, her eyes were strong enough. One piercing glare disrupted the illusion just enough to confuse Anko.
That gave Izumi the opening she needed.
Crack!
She struck Anko's neck with the blunt edge of her blade.
Anko let out a groan—and collapsed.
But Izumi didn't let her guard down.
She knew this was a Sharingan illusion.
Her eyes scanned in every direction—and froze.
Perched on a power pole, silhouetted against the full moon, stood a masked Anbu figure.
Glowing red Sharingan burned through the dark.
Even from a distance, she knew.
"Uchiha Itachi…"
And then—floating above his head, only visible to her, text began to appear. White, glowing, and undeniable.
[Conspiring with Obito, Black Zetsu, and Tobi to assassinate Uchiha Chizumi within one month.
Conspiring to annihilate the Uchiha clan within two months.]
"No…"
Her grip on her blade tightened.
"This… this is his future evil! And it's happening soon. He's really chosen this path… he's really going through with it…"
Sweat trickled from her palm, but her eyes hardened with resolve.
She stepped in front of the unconscious Anko, planting her feet and raising her blade.
A voice drifted through the wind:
"Your sacrifice will be worth it, Izumi."
"The peace of Konoha's future will be built on your grave—and on Chizumi's. When that time comes, Sasuke will understand that your 'justice' didn't make him stronger. It'll only lead him to death."
And in that moment—
Itachi's eyes ignited.
The final warmth was gone. Whatever friendship once existed—he had severed it completely.
He dissolved into a swarm of crows.
Izumi's Sharingan flared. She knew it was an illusion.
Dozens of crows rushed her—but only one was real.
She didn't need to guess. Her eyes could see the evil in him.
She swung—
Clang!
Blades met. Sparks flew. Their eyes locked—his showing brief surprise.
"You've gotten better, Izumi," Itachi said calmly.
Not my doing, she thought. Chizumi implanted a Mangekyō technique in me.
She didn't answer aloud. Her focus was razor-sharp. The two clashed again and again, blades flickering like lightning.
In seconds, they had exchanged over a dozen blows.
"You can't win," Itachi said flatly.
He parried her blade and aimed a brutal kick at her jaw.
Her Sharingan saw it—but her body couldn't react in time.
Crap… if that hits, I'm out cold!
Whoosh—!
Out of nowhere, a plain black kunai flew in from the side.
Itachi spotted it in his peripheral vision, twisted mid-motion, and aborted the kick.
Rip!
The kunai grazed his leg, tearing his pants before slamming into a tree.
A cold voice followed on the wind.
"Uchiha Itachi."
In the pale moonlight, that voice carried a hint of sulfur—and a promise of death.
Itachi froze, eyes turning to the source.
"You've crossed the line."
"Tonight, Absolute Justice delivers its judgment."
"Verdict…"
"Death."
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 70 Chapters Ahead of Others!