Mitsuru's eyes opened to a horrific scene.
He was soaked in blood, lying on a mountain of bodies that belonged to his own clan, the Uchiha.
The air was thick and heavy with the metallic, bitter scent of blood.
The cold, lifeless bodies of his kin were piled up beneath him.
He lifted his head and saw the moon, a chilling red, as if it had been painted with the blood of the massacre. With every breath, he drew in the smell of death.
Suddenly, the bodies began to decay.
Their skin, flesh, and hair fell away, and their bones crumbled to dust.
In the end, a cold breeze swept the bone fragments away, scattering them into the air.
Mitsuru awoke with a searing headache, his body drenched in a cold sweat. He was nauseous and struggled to breathe.
Beep...
Beep...
He tried to raise his hand, but his arms felt heavy and numb.
He could barely see his surroundings. Everything was a hazy blur, like looking through a glass of water.
Each time he blinked, the harsh white light of the fluorescent lamps stabbed at his eyes.
"What happened?"
Aches pulsed through his entire body. Suddenly, he heard the quiet, rhythmic sound of footsteps approaching. Someone was coming closer.
"You're finally awake?"
"Where am I?"
Beep...
Beep...
"The hospital. You've been here for over two weeks."
Mitsuru tried to speak again, but his throat was dry and his voice was gone. His mind was a blank slate, as if all his memories had been wiped clean.
Only one feeling remained: a burning pain that consumed his entire being, and then... nothing.
"What... what happened?"
A woman with tired brown eyes approached him and adjusted a machine next to the bed.
"We didn't think you'd ever wake up. I told you... you're very lucky."
Just then, the door opened, and a doctor with short, dark hair came in. The woman turned to him.
"Doctor, he's finally awake."
The doctor walked over to Mitsuru's side, a gentle smile on his face.
"It's alright. Don't worry. We'll take care of you."
Mitsuru asked again, his voice strained:
"What... what happened? Why can't I see properly?"
The doctor sighed, pulling a chair up next to the bed.
"Try not to be alarmed by what I'm about to say. First, about your eyes... you've almost lost your sight. You should be thankful for what little vision you have left."
He paused, taking a few deep breaths before continuing.
"A catastrophe has occurred. The entire Uchiha clan... was completely wiped out in one night. You are one of the few survivors."
Beep...
Beep...
Mitsuru's head swam. The Uchiha... wiped out? His mind struggled to process the words, yet he had no memory of that night. The only thing he could recall was the crushing nausea. This had to be a nightmare.
Beep...
Beeeep...
Beeeep...
"Doctor! The patient's blood pressure is spiking! His heart rate is too high... he's going into shock!"
"Give him a sedative... hurry!"
The doctor turned to Mitsuru.
"Calm down! Breathe!"
A moment later, Mitsuru fell back into a deep sleep.
Mitsuru remained in the hospital bed.
His right arm and both legs were heavily bandaged, and the sharp scent of antiseptic filled the air.
He was slowly getting used to his new reality. His right eye was completely covered, and the doctors had quickly given him a pair of glasses to help him see better with his remaining eye.
The doctor had explained what happened: Itachi, the gifted heir of the Uchiha clan and son of the leader, had apparently lost his mind and slaughtered his own family in a quest for more power. The worst part was that he had succeeded, leaving only Mitsuru and Itachi's younger brother as the sole survivors. At least, that's what the doctor claimed.
Mitsuru, having recovered his memories, knew the truth was far more complex.
Suddenly, the door to his room opened, and the familiar smell of tobacco wafted in. A calm, warm voice spoke.
"I'm glad to see you're doing better."
Mitsuru turned his head to see Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konoha, standing there in his usual attire.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama."
The Hokage came closer, taking a seat beside the bed.
"I know how you feel. Losing your family..."
His voice was laced with sorrow.
"It's the greatest pain in the world. But you must stay strong. For those you lost."
Mitsuru said nothing. The Hokage continued:
"The Uchiha clan were heroes of Konoha. They fought bravely. This tragedy was an internal attack that no one saw coming."
The Hokage placed a hand on Mitsuru's shoulder.
"I know. Your heart must be filled with anger and revenge. I felt that way too when I lost my friends. But my boy, you must know that the most important thing is to move forward, not to seek vengeance. Even if you do want revenge, you must first get well and make yourself strong. I'm here to help you. You are not alone."
Mitsuru smirked inwardly, knowing what a hypocritical and vile person Hiruzen truly was. He tried his best to act the part. Tears welled up in his eyes. "Hokage-sama... the Uchiha... were they really destroyed so easily?"
The Hokage nodded slowly.
"Sadly, Itachi was a genius, but no one could have imagined that..."
The Hokage's voice was full of grief, but Mitsuru knew all along that Itachi was just a pawn. He thought to himself:
"That foolish psychopath was brainwashed by Hiruzen with the 'Will of Fire.' He never regretted what he did, not even in death! Hiruzen had the gall to tell Sasuke that Itachi had the mindset of a Hokage from childhood! If that were true, you would've made him your successor! That way, the Uchiha would never have even thought of rebellion!"
The Hokage placed his hand on Mitsuru's shoulder again.
"I know this pain. But you are not alone. The community of Konoha is your family now. And I... the Hokage is a father to all of Konoha. If you need anything at all, just tell me."
For the first time, Mitsuru smiled. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
"You'll pay for this, old man,"
he thought to himself.
"Then I'll see if you can still act this way."
The Hokage stood to leave.
"When you are fully recovered, come see me. I'll give you time to rest. Even without the Sharingan, you are still a ninja, don't ever forget that."
Mitsuru didn't respond immediately. He simply turned his gaze to the Hokage.
"I won't forget, Hokage-sama."
A calm smile rested on the Hokage's lips.
"For now, you need to rest. I'll be going."
The Hokage left the room. Moments later, Mitsuru touched the bandage over his eye with his right hand.
"Without the Sharingan, huh?"
he thought.
A cold smirk spread across his face.