"Of course I came to take you home."
Yu Feng smiled.
Sasuke didn't really understand why Yu Feng had come to get him, but he wasn't on guard at all. He simply said,
"Yu Feng-senpai, wait a moment. I'll clean up."
At that moment, Kakashi and the others who had been secretly monitoring Sasuke panicked.
They flashed out from nearby in an instant.
"Wait! You can't take Sasuke away!"
Kakashi shouted.
Yu Feng pulled Sasuke behind him, looking as though he were protecting Sasuke's safety, and shouted sternly,
"Who dares to target Sasuke?!"
Kakashi froze for a moment. He was wearing an ANBU uniform and an ANBU mask—wasn't that obvious enough?
But the instant he looked at Yu Feng, Yu Feng's ocular power erupted.
"Move!"
Kakashi's vision went black, and he collapsed straight to the ground.
"You—!"
The other two ANBU never expected the Uchiha to strike directly. Completely caught off guard, they were also taken down by Yusuke and the others.
Sasuke was frightened. After all, he was only seven years old—still at the age of playing ninja games.
"Yu Feng-senpai… w-what's going on…?"
After knocking Kakashi down, Yu Feng smiled instead.
He stared into Sasuke's eyes, activating a genjutsu.
"It's fine. Go to sleep. When you wake up, nothing will have happened."
"I…"
Sasuke's eyelids grew heavy, and he fell into a deep sleep.
Yu Feng handed Sasuke to Yusuke.
"Be careful. He's an important piece."
Yusuke nodded and hoisted Sasuke onto his shoulder.
Yu Feng crouched down, pried open Kakashi's eyelids, and asked the clansman beside Yusuke,
"Guangyou, you know medical ninjutsu, right?"
…
In the forest outside the Uchiha compound.
Itachi had been waiting here for a long time.
He knew that person would definitely come.
Footsteps sounded, and a man wearing a tiger-patterned mask appeared nearby.
Itachi walked over and stopped in front of Obito.
"Tonight, we act."
Obito replied in a disguised voice, "Fine. As agreed, I'll lend you a hand."
Itachi turned his head.
"Then we proceed as planned."
Obito crossed his arms.
"The reason I'm helping you wipe out the Uchiha isn't just for revenge. I have other goals."
"Just pretend you didn't see those."
Itachi naturally understood—he was referring to collecting Sharingan.
But at this point, Itachi no longer cared.
"You mean you don't want me to use my Sharingan to record your actions."
"Exactly. That's also my proof of sparing your brother's life."
"I have no use for a child without the Sharingan."
Itachi knew Sasuke had no value yet. He turned and said,
"So I can rest easy, then?"
"Other than trusting me, you have no other choice."
Obito knew that after this incident, Itachi would have nowhere else to go.
He added,
"If you ever reach a dead end, you can come to our organization."
Itachi frowned slightly.
"Your organization?"
"Yes. Its name is Akatsuki."
…
Hokage Office.
The Third Hokage was handling official affairs. As for tonight's purge of the Uchiha clan, he felt no strong emotional reaction.
Everything had already been planned.
Even if the Uchiha were on guard, the losses would only be suffered by Danzo's Root.
It had nothing to do with him.
All he needed to do was bring ANBU to clean up afterward.
"Urgent report!"
An ANBU rushed in without permission.
The Third Hokage frowned slightly, but did not reprimand him. Instead, he asked,
"What happened?"
The ANBU immediately reported,
"Kakashi and the two others monitoring Sasuke have gone missing."
"And Sasuke's whereabouts are unknown."
The Third Hokage's hand holding the pipe paused.
In a deep voice, he asked,
"What about Naruto?"
The ANBU replied,
"Naruto is safe. He's currently at home."
The Third Hokage relaxed slightly and took a puff from his pipe.
But his mind was already turning—who had taken Sasuke?
Danzo? Or Itachi?
If it was Danzo, that was fine—he could negotiate.
If it was Itachi, then things might become troublesome.
The Third Hokage looked up at the clock.
It was already ten o'clock at night. Darkness had long fallen outside.
If Itachi was going to act, this would be the time.
"Send more people. Keep an eye on the Uchiha compound. Report anything immediately!"
"Yes!"
…
The bright moon hung high in the sky.
Tonight's night seemed unusually quiet.
Having resolved himself to bear everything, Itachi arrived at the entrance of the Uchiha compound.
He put on his mask.
With a single flash step, he landed atop the low wall.
"Sasuke…"
Itachi murmured softly, then his gaze hardened.
He drew his blade and leapt down from the wall.
Suddenly—
From the shadows on both sides behind the wall, two huge nets were thrown out!
"Whoosh!!!"
The nets howled through the air, crashing down toward Itachi.
Itachi's heart tightened—how could this be?!
The instant the net covered him, the cries of crows rang out.
"Caw… caw… caw…"
His entire body exploded into countless crows, scattering into the sky, swirling before reforming into Itachi's figure.
But before he could land, a barrage of shuriken shot out again from the shadows.
Itachi swung his weapon, deflecting them one after another, but his shoulder was still cut twice.
At that moment, a figure stepped out from the shadows.
"Itachi, you really did betray the clan!"
Itachi landed on the ground, his expression unchanged.
The fact that he possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan was still unknown to most of the clan.
So even though he was injured, he didn't bring out Susanoo.
Still, Itachi was surprised.
He had expected his father, or the Great Elder—
But he hadn't expected Yu Feng.
Yu Feng and Shisui were from the same generation, so Itachi naturally knew him.
Later, after Yu Feng's family suffered misfortune, he had been busy with missions, and they gradually lost contact.
"I never thought it would be Yu Feng-senpai."
Itachi's expression was cold, giving no clue to his thoughts.
Yu Feng didn't let the others come out, choosing to face Itachi alone.
As he walked toward Itachi, he said calmly,
"So you've decided to become Konoha's pawn, and wipe out your own clan?"
Hearing Yu Feng's words, Itachi's expression finally wavered slightly…