Fugaku's gaze was cold and aloof.
After finishing his words, he didn't wait for Koharu to respond.
A kunai manifested directly within the illusionary space and sliced cleanly across her throat.
In the next instant—
Koharu's eyes flew wide open as instinct kicked in, her body trying desperately to dodge.
But it was useless.
This was Fugaku's illusion.
Within this space, he was absolute.
Godlike.
So all Koharu could do was watch in helpless terror as Fugaku slowly drew the kunai across her own throat.
Blood splashed.
Her thoughts scattered, then dissolved into nothingness.
…
In the real world.
From Yamanaka Shintarō's perspective—
The moment the Mangekyō pattern appeared in Koharu's eyes, her entire body stiffened.
Then—
Without anyone laying a hand on her—
Her throat tore open on its own.
Blood sprayed.
Life vanished.
Shintarō's scalp went numb.
Cold sweat broke out across his back.
This scene was horrifying beyond words.
Yes.
Ordinary genjutsu could only deceive the senses.
If you wanted someone dead, you still had to do it yourself.
But what was this?
Fugaku hadn't touched her at all—
Yet her throat had been torn open as if by an invisible blade.
Terrifying.
Absolutely terrifying.
If Fugaku weren't his ally, Shintarō knew he wouldn't even dare stand in the same room.
At the moment of Koharu's death, Fugaku activated his Mangekyō once more, erasing her final memories completely before withdrawing from the illusion.
The pattern in his eyes faded.
Then he spoke calmly.
"Shintarō."
"I'll leave the rest to you."
Yes.
Though Fugaku's Mangekyō was classified as genjutsu, it was fundamentally different from all others.
It possessed a terrifying property—
Refining illusion into reality.
Any damage sustained within his illusion would manifest directly in the real world.
Compared to this—
Even Uchiha Itachi's Tsukuyomi, which focused on mental torment, fell short.
Fugaku's Mangekyō Technique—Humble Fate
Could truly kill.
On the other side, Shintarō froze for a brief moment before snapping back to his senses.
He nodded and immediately activated the Yamanaka clan's secret technique—Mind Reading.
His movements were swift.
In an instant, his consciousness invaded Koharu's mind, searching directly for the information they needed.
Yes.
If Nara Kōji was the foundation of the Nara clan—
Then Yamanaka Shintarō was the foundation of the Yamanaka.
His true strength was no weaker than Yamanaka Inoichi's.
Extracting memories from a corpse was well within his capabilities.
But as time passed—
Shintarō's expression grew worse and worse.
Through Koharu's memories, he saw too much.
Far too much.
He had always known Konoha was dark.
But seeing the details firsthand still sent chills racing down his spine.
Five minutes later—
Shintarō abruptly cut off the technique and collapsed to the floor.
His entire body was drenched in cold sweat.
Seeing this, Fugaku immediately stepped forward and helped him up.
Yes.
Against enemies, Fugaku was merciless.
Cold.
Terrifying.
But toward his comrades—
He was a completely different person.
Steady.
Reliable.
Trustworthy.
Supporting Shintarō, Fugaku asked quietly,
"Shintarō… are you alright?"
"Do you need to rest?"
"We still have time."
"There's no rush."
His concern was genuine.
And Shintarō could feel it.
In that instant, the lingering fear he had felt toward Fugaku melted away.
Yes.
Fugaku's strength was frightening.
But as an ally—
He was without question the most dependable teammate one could have.
Taking a breath, Shintarō forced a bitter smile.
"Thank you, Fugaku."
"I'm fine."
"I was just… exposed to too many secrets."
"Our mission is complete."
"Danzo's plan was known to Koharu."
"And tonight—"
"Danzo intends to gather all Root operatives and launch a purge."
"While Sarutobi Hiruzen is away, he plans to hunt down as many Sarutobi clan shinobi as possible."
"In Danzo's words—"
"Now that the factions have become enemies, the alliance can continue…"
"But allies that are too powerful are a threat."
"So tonight, Danzo plans to eliminate at least half of the Sarutobi clan's shinobi."
"The minimum target is two thousand deaths."
"The more, the better."
Fugaku's eyes narrowed.
But Shintarō wasn't finished.
His voice dropped even lower.
"But that's not the most terrifying part."
"Fugaku… do you know what I uncovered in Koharu's memories?"
Fugaku remained silent.
Shintarō swallowed.
"The Second Hokage—Senju Tobirama."
"He wasn't killed by the Gold and Silver Brothers."
"He died because of a conspiracy."
Fugaku's pupils constricted.
Shintarō continued, his voice trembling.
"I always wondered…"
"Tobirama was that powerful."
"With the Flying Thunder God, even if he lost, how could he die?"
"If he couldn't win, couldn't he escape?"
"But now I know the truth."
"Tobirama chose to act as bait."
"He let Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others escape."
"And at the same time—"
"He tested his disciples."
"Hiruzen passed."
"And was named the next Hokage."
"But after that—"
"Hiruzen thought it through."
"He joined forces with Danzo, Koharu, and Homura."
"As Tobirama's disciples, they knew exactly where his Flying Thunder God markers were placed."
"So they secretly dug them up."
"And sealed them all."
"The Second Hokage—"
"After diverting the enemy and preparing to escape—"
"Suddenly found he could no longer sense a single Flying Thunder God marker."
"And so…"
"He was killed by Kumogakure."
Shintarō's voice was hoarse now.
"After that, everything fell into place."
"Tobirama died."
"Hiruzen ascended."
"And to prevent the Uchiha from noticing anything—"
"They secretly used underhanded methods to kill Uchiha Kagami."
"They even planned to kill Akimichi Torifu."
"But Torifu sensed something wrong."
"After discussing it with the elders of the Nara clan, he chose to withdraw."
"He stopped involving himself in Konoha's affairs."
"Even resigned from active duty entirely."
"And because of that—"
"He survived."
The room fell into dead silence.
Truth after truth.
Each one heavier than the last.
Konoha's foundation—
Was soaked in blood.
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