In the Uchiha clan grounds, houses and trees cracked and popped as they were consumed by fire.
Meanwhile, at the Ninja Academy.
A bonfire roared on the playground, illuminating the faces of the children gathered around it in the night. Everyone was busy eating barbecue and a chaotic hotpot stew. While the flavor wasn't exactly gourmet, the joy was palpable.
A cheerful atmosphere filled the playground. Even Sasuke wore a faint smile on his face.
Masahiko sat off to the side, watching everyone with a beaming, genial expression.
At that moment, Watanabe Shōji clapped his hands, drawing the crowd's attention. "Alright everyone, if you've had your fill, it's about time to wrap things up."
"It's going to get much colder soon, and it won't be safe to head back too late."
The students began to stand up. A few lingering gazes showed they were reluctant to part ways.
For example—Ino.
"We're going home, why the long face?"
"I finally managed to snag a seat next to him, and we only got to sit there for a little while," Ino whispered, dejected.
Shikamaru sighed lightly, at a loss for words.
Women are troublesome!
Women who are love-struck are even more troublesome.
He walked ahead silently, speechless. However, as they left the campus and stepped onto the streets, Shikamaru began to sense that something was wrong.
It wasn't terribly late yet—just past eight o'clock—but the streets outside were eerily silent. Furthermore... Shikaku had come personally!
Shikamaru's expression turned grave. "Let's hurry home."
"Don't rush me, I want to go to—"
"Home!"
Shikamaru whipped his head around, staring intensely at Ino.
A second later, his attitude softened. "Sorry. But my father has already arrived. We must go home."
Having said his piece, he walked quickly toward Shikaku.
Ino pouted but didn't hesitate, immediately following behind him.
Moments later.
"Father—"
"Mm."
Shikaku Nara nodded slightly, a flash of approval passing through his eyes. He then glanced at the other two. "I was passing by, so I thought I'd pick you all up."
The trio headed toward their family estates.
Many other parents had arrived as well, making the school gate quite lively.
On the other side, Sasuke looked around anxiously. He didn't see his parents or his brother coming to pick him up. A look of disappointment flashed in his eyes.
"You performed very well today."
A voice came from behind him.
Sasuke turned to see Masahiko walking out of the school gates, wearing a gentle, benevolent smile. Trailing beside him was that annoying Naruto Uzumaki.
"Your elders didn't come to get you?"
"I told them not to come," Sasuke said, trying to save face.
"Let's go."
Masahiko walked ahead. "Naruto is heading the same way as you. I'll walk both of you back."
"N-No, that's fine!" Sasuke's face flushed slightly. "I can go back by myself."
"Let's move."
Masahiko ignored the protest.
'Even if this is just a Shadow Clone, I can still rack up some drama points. How can I steal the camera if I don't have thick skin?'
"Hey, hey! I worked hard today too, why doesn't anyone look at me?" Naruto complained loudly.
"You get moving too. I'll drop you off first."
"Alright!"
Amidst the cheers, the group of three—one tall, two short—slowly walked from the lamplight of the school gate into the dimly lit streets in the distance.
After dropping Naruto off at home, Masahiko led Sasuke toward the Uchiha district.
The two chatted and laughed along the way. Masahiko took the opportunity to answer some of Sasuke's questions about training. The disappointment Sasuke had felt earlier vanished, replaced by a surge of joy.
He was looking forward to the scene where he would be praised again.
'Father...'
'He'll praise me again, right?'
Sasuke secretly anticipated the moment, a smile unable to be contained on his face, as if he could already see it happening.
But soon—
As he reached the familiar streets and saw the firelight reflecting against the sky in the distance, he froze. Panic set in. His brain began to buzz.
"Sasuke."
A calm but serious voice sounded by his ear.
Sasuke looked up dazedly, staring at the teacher he trusted so much.
Yagyu Masahiko was gazing at him, his eyes seemingly hiding a deep worry. "Let's... go take a look first."
"Okay."
Sasuke nodded frantically and broke into a run toward the clan grounds.
As he got closer—
His face turned deathly pale.
Blood flowed out from the houses, mingling with the flames to form a terrifying tableau.
Sasuke staggered backward, his legs turning to jelly. He almost collapsed onto the ground, but a leg braced against his back, supporting him and keeping him upright.
"Something has happened."
Masahiko's expression was grave.
Sasuke snapped out of his trance and sprinted toward his house.
'Dad, Mom—'
'Brother!'
His mind was a blank sheet of white. Unable to think, he moved purely on instinct, rushing toward his home.
When he reached the gate, his face lost the last of its color—the courtyard door was wide open.
Before the door, bloody footprints extended from the outside leading in.
He felt his body grow several times heavier, stumbling step by step as he walked inside.
Entering the house, Sasuke could already smell the thick stench of blood. The muscles in his face and his lips couldn't stop trembling.
"Impossible!"
"No!"
"Father, Mother!"
He followed the scent and rushed in. Finding the source, he was instantly paralyzed.
"Brother—"
"Why?"
Before him stood Itachi, holding a blade. His body was stained with blood, his face dyed crimson, looking as if he had just carved his way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
"Because... I've grown bored of this so-called clan."
Itachi's voice was devoid of emotion. "Narrow-minded, boring, weak—"
"Just like you."
Moments later, miserable wails echoed from inside the room.
The next second, Itachi walked out. Seeing Masahiko, who had rushed in, he paused for a moment before speaking coldly. "You really are responsible, aren't you?"
"Uchiha Itachi... did you slaughter the Uchiha clan?"
Masahiko's face was twisted with ugliness and horror. "Even if the Uchiha clan had problems, you shouldn't have committed such a massacre. Itachi, this is too extreme!"
"Extreme?"
Itachi glanced at him calmly, answering with utter indifference. "Perhaps."
"What did you do to my student?!"
Masahiko glared at him furiously.
Itachi disappeared with the Body Flicker Technique, leaving a single sentence hanging in the air: "Rest assured. He is too weak; he isn't even worth killing."
The next moment, Masahiko hurriedly charged into the room, only to see Sasuke collapsed on the floor.
"Sasuke! Sasuke!!"
With his consciousness fading, the only thing Sasuke saw was that face—anxious and worried—rushing in and leaning close to him.
Then, he felt himself being lifted onto a back.
The back was solid and warm. It made him feel attached, intoxicated by the safety it provided.
But at the same time, the images he had just witnessed flashed through his chaotic mind, and tears couldn't stop flowing.
For the unconscious Sasuke, this was a night that was both brief and agonizingly long.
Konoha Hospital.
Masahiko walked out of the restroom, unmasked fatigue written all over his face.
After confirming the safety of the hospital, he had swapped places with his Shadow Clone.
Maintaining the clone all afternoon hadn't consumed too much chakra, but the accumulated fatigue and memories flooded back all at once...
It still left him physically and mentally exhausted.
Leaving the restroom, he walked toward the doctor's duty room.
As he pushed the door open, the occupant immediately stood up and bowed respectfully. "Masahiko-sama."
"Ah, it's Hyakusa. Is Sasuke alright?"
Masahiko looked around the room but didn't see Kanpō, who had been on duty earlier. "Did Senior Kanpō go to perform treatment?"
"Sasuke suffered a massive mental shock and has fallen into a coma. It's hard to say if he'll wake up tomorrow, but his life shouldn't be in danger," Hyakusa answered.
Then, looking at Masahiko with hope hidden in his eyes, he added, "Most of the Medical Corps has been mobilized. I'm staying behind with a portion of the medical-nin to handle other crisis matters."
Being the only one in the duty room put him under immense pressure.
Seeing this, Masahiko found a chair and sat down. As he opened his System interface, he asked, "I hold a position in the Research Department, so it should be fine if I rest here, right?"
"No problem at all! Thank you so much!"
Hyakusa was overjoyed.
Although Masahiko wasn't a specialized medical-nin, he knew some medical techniques. Having him stay to help was the best possible outcome.
Masahiko smiled, then leaned back in the chair, staring at the newly added ability on his panel.
[Lightning Style · Body Activation: Perfection]
This was a ninjutsu that used Lightning Style chakra to revitalize the physical body. It was an ability he had copied from Kakashi.
Kakashi used it as a prerequisite for the Lightning Cutter. Masahiko, however, had copied it to synergize with his "Limit-Break" state.
The combat results had exceeded his expectations.