"Have you found out who's spreading those harmful rumors about 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 by the office window, his face grim as he questioned the Anbu ninja with his back turned.
The Anbu ninja bowed his head, replying truthfully, "We haven't found out yet, but it seems to have originated from the Uchiha clan."
Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a heavy sigh.
He turned and walked to Uchiha Itachi, saying with a touch of shame, "Itachi, I apologize. It was my oversight for not noticing the spread of negative rumors about you in time, for not suppressing them immediately."
Earlier this morning, Hiruzen Sarutobi had even told Uchiha Itachi to forget what he had said to Uchiha Akainu and not to go around telling others about it.
The goal was to help Uchiha Itachi conceal his so-called future evil.
But who would have thought...
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 a full-blown sensation!
Uchiha Itachi, however, shook his head calmly. He said, "Hokage-sama, I don't mind. My own reputation is far less important to me than a peaceful and stable Konoha."
He looked down at his clasped hands and continued, "It's not entirely a bad thing. It's an opportunity for me to get used to being scorned and reviled by countless people ahead of time."
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, taken aback.
This child, Itachi... he probably truly and firmly believed that he would indeed destroy the Uchiha clan in the future.
When Uchiha Sasuke returned to the Uchiha clan compound alone, he was completely dazed, his small face streaked with two faint, un-wiped tear marks.
His eyes had a slight redness and bloodshot veins, his expression had lost its usual brilliance, and his gaze seemed to have lost its sparkle.
The moment he stepped into the Uchiha compound, Sasuke clearly felt many eyes focused on him.
This made him feel extremely uncomfortable, as if thorns were digging into his back.
"This kid... he's Uchiha Itachi, that bastard's brother, isn't he? What was his name, Uchiha Sasuke?"
"He's Uchiha Itachi's blood relative. Hey, hey, he's not going to try and kill us too, is he? Keeping this kid in the Uchiha clan would only be a disaster, wouldn't it?"
"I heard those two brothers are really close. Maybe we should grab this kid and use him to threaten Uchiha Itachi..."
"Will this kid die by Uchiha Itachi's hand in the future? I clearly remember that beast even killing his own parents."
Subtle whispers reached Sasuke's ears.
Cold sweat beaded on Sasuke.
He no longer dared to argue 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's compound, he didn't dare to stay long.
Sasuke quickly picked up his pace, hurrying home with his head down.
"...Fugaku, you already knew, didn't you?" Uchiha Mikoto looked at her silent husband with a complicated expression.
Today, many clan members had come to their home.
Some came in a rage to question them, others came with confused expressions to ask... In the end, these people were either sent away by Fugaku or placated with vague answers.
Mikoto had lived with Fugaku for so many years; she knew her husband had been lying when he spoke to these clan members!
Even just hearing snippets from their mouths, Uchiha Mikoto understood what was going on.
Facing his wife's gaze, Fugaku sighed.
He no longer remained silent, looking at his unconsciously clenched fists, and quietly replied, "I knew this morning... because Itachi and I went to see Akainu together, and I heard it directly from Akainu's mouth. You should know, even if Akainu has a bias against Itachi, at least his words are never lies or deceptions."
Uchiha Mikoto froze, as if all strength had drained from her, and she stumbled uncontrollably.
Fugaku quickly got up and supported Uchiha Mikoto.
"Ike... Akainu... pant! Did Akainu say anything more detailed about the 'future'?" Uchiha Mikoto's beautiful face, her delicate lips, were subtly pale. She asked tremblingly, "In the future, Itachi... does he kill Sasuke too?"
Fugaku shook his head: "No one but Sasuke."
This morning, Fugaku had not heard the name "Uchiha Sasuke" mentioned among the victims of the clan massacre from Uchiha Akainu.
Just then, he suddenly paused, as if something had just occurred to him.
Fugaku added, "Nor Akainu."
Just then.
The couple heard a slight panting sound from outside the door. Turning their heads, they saw Sasuke, his face pale, eyes welling with tears, clutching the doorframe and gasping for breath.
"I..."
Sasuke bit his lip hard, so hard it broke, the metallic taste of blood allowing him to speak with difficulty: "I know too."
Fugaku was stunned.
Silent for a few seconds.
Then, a deep sigh.
*Thwack!*—A sharp ninja blade instantly dismembered the two arms of a Root ninja disguised as a Konoha civilian.
Izumi, close behind Uchiha Akainu, threw two kunai.
The kunai precisely pinned the Root ninja's feet to the ground.
The intense pain caused the Root ninja to tremble all over.
"Phew, that's the third one today..." Izumi wiped the glistening sweat from her forehead. After she and Akainu-senpai parted ways with Sasuke, she had been following Akainu-senpai, "hunting" Root ninja sent out by Danzo to spread rumors in Konoha.
While the Root ninjas' crime of "spreading rumors" wasn't punishable by death, the other crimes they had committed were certainly enough for execution.
In Akainu-senpai's words, "The entire Root, except for the war orphans who were just recruited and brainwashed, not a single one is innocent. Killing them all would not be an injustice to anyone."
So, Izumi had no moral qualms.
After all, she unconditionally trusted Akainu-senpai's judgment!
Looking at the Root ninja, who was too weak to stand due to blood loss, Izumi figured he wouldn't last another minute.
There was no need for any first aid.
"You do it." When Akainu-senpai's cold voice rang out, Izumi decisively drew her ninja blade and stepped forward, unhesitatingly slashing the Root ninja's throat.
—I am executing Absolute Justice.
Izumi constantly reminded herself.
But then, she suddenly felt strange again, a peculiar sensation that the power within her body had inexplicably grown stronger. This eerie feeling made her a little scared.
Afraid that her true nature was "bloodlust."
Afraid that she would be controlled by the killing.
"Senpai, my body..." Izumi decided to tell Akainu-senpai about the abnormality she felt in her body.
Before she could finish, Akainu-senpai interrupted her as usual.
"This is a gift from Absolute Justice."
Uchiha Akainu slowly said, "Without absolute power, how else could you execute absolute justice in the ninja world?"
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