Izumi had been away on a mission, leaving her mother, Uchiha Hazuki, alone to manage their household and the family shop. Though the quiet days were few and far between, Hazuki made the best of the time, tending to her duties with care and a lingering sense of anticipation. There was a secret she kept hidden from everyone—even from Izumi herself.
One afternoon, Hazuki quietly opened a hidden compartment inside a cabinet in her room. She carefully took out a small wooden box, its surface smooth and unassuming. Inside the box lay a precious gift she had been preparing for Izumi, something Hazuki believed would help her daughter unlock a new level of power when the time was right.
Hazuki smiled softly, imagining Izumi's surprised expression the moment she laid eyes on it. Her heart warmed at the thought. Gently, she closed the box and carefully placed it back in the compartment. Then, after securing the cabinet door, she left the room and went back to the shop, leaving the secrets of the box quietly waiting in the shadows.
---
Unbeknownst to Hazuki, danger was already approaching.
Late that evening, two masked ninja silently crept toward the Uchiha residence. Their footsteps were muffled, but their eyes were sharp and alert. They had been sent by Root—a covert faction within the Konoha Military Police Force—tasked with gathering intelligence and enforcing secretive agendas.
Once inside, the two ninja split up and began a thorough search of the house. Their faces remained hidden behind their masks, their hands moving swiftly through drawers, shelves, and cabinets.
One of them soon discovered the hidden compartment in Hazuki's room. With a cautious glance, he opened it and found the small wooden box inside. Curious, he pried the box open and saw two scrolls resting inside. Without hesitation, he unrolled one of the scrolls and examined its contents.
His eyes widened. The scroll contained a powerful forbidden ninjutsu—an ancient technique known as Izanami.
---
Meanwhile, the other masked ninja was searching Izumi's room. There, he found another box, much like the one in Hazuki's room. As he opened it, a sudden and strange reaction took place.
A flurry of talismans, previously hidden within the box, suddenly burst forth and leapt onto the ninja's hand. The markings glowed with an eerie light as they rapidly spread, creeping like wildfire.
"Hmm? What is this? Ah!" The ninja cried out, the talismans burning fiercely across his skin.
The pain intensified as the talismans multiplied and raced over his entire body. He struggled to shake them off, but the magical seals clung stubbornly, spreading quickly to nearby furniture. Wherever the talismans touched, they triggered resonances with similar seals embedded within the household's furnishings, accelerating the spread even further.
"Ah! Help me! Someone, please save me!" the ninja screamed in agony.
---
Back in the other room, the first ninja noticed his comrade's cries and instinctively clutched the box with the Izanami scroll tightly.
"Take my scroll! Take it!" he shouted, trying to hand over the scroll as the talismans engulfed his partner.
The lookout outside, who had been standing guard, rushed inside upon hearing the commotion. His eyes widened in shock as he took in the scene.
"What's going on? What happened to you? We need to retreat—now!"
But it was already too late.
The talismans had spread rapidly through the entire house. Both masked ninja writhed on the floor, their bodies contorted with pain as the mystical seals rendered them powerless.
Suddenly, several Uchiha ninja patrolling nearby heard the commotion and hurried over. Upon arriving, they shouted sternly, "Who are you?! Identify yourselves!"
The intruders were wearing the distinctive black masks of Root operatives.
"Anbu!" someone hissed.
"Anbu? What's there to fear about them? Their sudden presence here doesn't bode well."
"Capture them!" the clan members ordered as they moved to surround the masked intruders.
In desperation, the ninja with the Izanami scroll handed it over, urging, "Take this scroll!" before fleeing with the other scroll.
However, the box and one scroll were left behind, rolling across the floor.
---
Soon after, Uchiha Fugaku arrived at the scene. His expression darkened the moment he understood what had transpired.
He picked up the box from the ground and carefully opened it, only to find one scroll missing.
With mounting fury, he opened the remaining scroll to examine it.
His eyes widened in shock.
"Bring Uchiha Hazuki here immediately!" he barked.
---
At the Konoha Military Police headquarters, Uchiha Hazuki was brought in under guard, her expression a mix of confusion and dread.
She found Uchiha Fugaku and several elders waiting, their gazes cold and unforgiving.
Fugaku held up the box and the remaining scroll.
"Is this yours?" he demanded.
Hazuki stammered, "Th-this? Yes, it's mine... But—how—"
Before she could finish, Fugaku's fury boiled over.
"Damn it!" he roared and struck her sharply across the face.
Hazuki was thrown back by the force of the blow, landing hard on the floor clutching her swollen cheek, unable to rise immediately.
Fugaku's voice thundered, "You had a scroll of Izanami hidden in your house! Root ninja searched your home, and the other scroll, which was stolen, must be Izanagi! Do you understand the consequences of losing that scroll?"
His chest heaved as he continued, "Do you know how many clan members could die because of this? How many lives we could lose if those scrolls fall into the wrong hands—if they want to covet our Sharingan?"
Hazuki's mouth bled as she coughed weakly, trying to explain, "Cough… Cough… This was created by my elder, the jutsu… cough… I only kept it to prevent—"
An elder beside her scoffed, kicking her viciously before pointing down at her trembling form.
"You still have the nerve to speak? Your home was invaded by Anbu, and you don't even understand a single ninjutsu. How could you preserve such forbidden jutsu? Now look! The Izanagi scroll is gone!"
Fugaku took a deep breath, clearly restraining himself from further violence—especially since she was Izumi's mother.
He commanded coldly, "Take her away. These items will be stored securely by the clan."
Two ninja grabbed Hazuki roughly and dragged her away.
---
An elder turned to Fugaku with worry etched deeply on his face. "I never expected Root to investigate her home—and even more shocking, to find those forbidden scrolls there. Thankfully, only one was lost. But without Izanagi, what are we to do?"
Fugaku's anger cooled slightly as he resolved, "I will go to Danzo Shimura and demand the scroll's return—and an explanation for this outrage."
"That's all we can do for now," the elder sighed.
---
Meanwhile, at the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Homura Mitokado, and Utatane Koharu confronted Danzo Shimura.
The Third Hokage's voice was firm. "Danzo, you have been increasingly disrespectful lately. We all know the Uchiha Clan and the Village are in a sensitive period. Yet you sent Root to search Uchiha Izumi's home—and worse, you were caught stealing their ninjutsu. Uchiha Fugaku has come to me demanding the scrolls back and a full explanation. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Danzo scoffed coldly. "Hmph. That Uchiha Izumi has suddenly become alarmingly strong. This is not normal. Besides, wouldn't it be better to use this opportunity to eliminate the Uchiha—an unstable factor in the Village?"
The Third Hokage's expression darkened. "I'm not asking about the Uchiha. I'm talking about you. Perhaps I have been too lenient. Return the ninjutsu immediately, and you and Root will cease all operations—until further orders from me."
Danzo sneered. "Hiruzen, you will come to understand one day that I am right."
The Third Hokage fell silent, while Mitokado and Koharu exchanged grave looks.
Danzo added with a malicious grin, "Soon, I will help you completely free Uchiha Izumi from the Uchiha Clan."
The Third Hokage asked coldly, "What do you mean?"
Danzo answered, "Nothing. Just the last favor I will do for you."
"Don't cause trouble. If you are caught again, I will not protect you," the Third Hokage warned.
"Hmph. Understood." Danzo turned and left the Hokage's office.
---
Mitokado muttered to the others, "But why would he send people to search Izumi's home? How did he even know about the forbidden Uchiha ninjutsu there?"
Koharu nodded. "Root's intelligence network may be too strong. It's time to scale it back a little."
The Third Hokage agreed. "Yes, it's time to silence him for a while."
---
Back at Root's headquarters, Danzo held the Izanagi scroll triumphantly in his hands.
"I finally have a more complete Izanagi," he said with dark satisfaction. "But what is this other ninjutsu? Someone!"
Two aides instantly appeared before him.
"Those useless ones must be punished properly," Danzo ordered.
"Yes, sir."
"Oh, and Uchiha Hazuki should be brought to the hospital. Have our doctors search her memories for the other ninjutsu. Then, let her injuries worsen gradually—understood?"
"Yes!"
Danzo's grin deepened as he whispered, "This time, I will make sure Uchiha Izumi's heart drifts away from the clan forever."
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