__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"We're all Uchiha! How can you attack one of your own?!"
"Heh heh heh… we learned from that traitor, Itachi. That guy didn't give a damn about kinship when he went after us.
So if you want to blame someone, blame your precious friend Itachi! He was just asking for it, being all high and mighty."
Uchiha Inabi sneered, then, as if remembering something, added:
"Oh, and don't even think about screaming for help. That's just wasting your breath.
Today's the day of the clan meeting—everyone strong enough to stop us is busy at the meeting. No matter how much you scream, nobody's coming!"
"You… you planned this all along, didn't you? Damn it!"
Uchiha Izumi's eyes went wide with despair, and she froze mid-step, her back stiffening.
Then, as if surrendering, her voice dropped to a low, steady tone:
"Fine. I'll come with you… but I hope you'll honor the fact we're from the same clan. Don't… do anything unnecessary to me!"
"Heh heh! Don't worry—we're gentlemen! We'll take good care of you."
With that, Uchiha Yashiro reached for Izumi's slender, pale neck.
But just as his fingers were about to close around her, a sharp "bang" echoed.
A thick cloud of smoke erupted out of nowhere, instantly enveloping all four of them.
Izumi had somehow pulled a smoke bomb from her ninja tool pouch and, feigning surrender, confused the three attackers.
As soon as they relaxed their guard, she detonated it.
Using the smoke as cover, she bolted toward the alley exit at lightning speed.
Once she reached a crowded street, they wouldn't dare follow, and she could escape the nightmare waiting for her.
"Damn brat! You actually dared to cheat! When I catch you, I'll make you pay!"
Yashiro and the others burst through the smoke, cursing and chasing after her.
Panic surged in Izumi's chest, but then her eyes lit up—at the mouth of the alley, she saw a dark figure.
The lighting made it impossible to see exactly who it was, but it was enough.
Like a drowning person clutching a lifeline, she shouted:
"Help! Help! Uchiha Yashiro has gone mad!"
"Huh? What's going on? Who's calling for help?"
Akira, passing by the alley, turned at the sound.
His gaze immediately landed on three Uchiha with activated Sharingan, faces twisted with madness, chasing a beautiful young girl.
The distance between them closed fast.
And then Izumi realized—the figure at the alley mouth was… Uchiha Akira.
Akira?! How is he here?!
He's supposed to be in ninja school right now… so why is he here?
Those questions barely registered before her expression hardened. She called out urgently:
"Run! Akira, get out of here! They're after your brother!"
"They've gone completely insane. If they see you, it won't end well!"
"Run, Akira! I'll hold them off!"
"Akira, go—now!"
Izumi turned, placing herself between Akira and the three attackers.
A pang of regret hit her—she never imagined she'd run into him here. She shouldn't have shouted for help.
If anything happened to Akira because of her, Itachi would never forgive her.
She had to stop them, buy him time.
"Heh heh heh! Look who we have here! Isn't this Itachi's little brother, Uchiha Akira?!"
The three finally caught up, spotting Akira behind Izumi. Their eyes gleamed with excitement.
"A two-for-one deal! Looks like today's our lucky day.
Grab the brother too—Itachi will come after us, double the fun!"
Yashiro licked his lips, imagining Itachi trapped and at their mercy.
"Stop! Don't touch Akira! He's just a kid.
This has nothing to do with him! I'll go with you instead!"
Izumi's face drained of color, and she stepped forward, trying to protect Akira with her sincerity.
But before she could even take two steps, a small hand grabbed her icy arm.
An irresistible force pushed her back.
"I hate weaklings who pick on the helpless!"
"Don't worry, Izumi. With me here, these guys won't even stir up a breeze."
Akira stepped forward, shielding Izumi with calm intensity as he faced the three crazed Uchiha.
"Hmph! Insolent brat… even more arrogant than your traitor brother. Today, I'll show you just how red the flowers really are!"
Yashiro's expression darkened. With a cold snarl, he struck.
His fingers curved into claws, aiming straight for Akira's neck.
A strike like that against a seven-year-old? It could snap him in half.
"Akira! Watch out! Dodge!"
Izumi screamed, panic clawing at her chest.
And yet… what happened next made her heart stop.
Akira's slender little hand caught Yashiro's claw perfectly.
"How… how is this possible?!" Yashiro froze.
It was like hitting a mountain. No matter how hard he pushed, the boy didn't budge an inch.
Akira smirked, eyes icy and indifferent, like he was looking at trash.
"Pathetic.
You got beaten by Itachi and now take it out on my sister? What a disgrace to the Uchiha name.
No! Trash like you doesn't deserve to be called Uchiha!"
His voice roared like thunder, eyes sparking with electricity.
A terrifying aura erupted from him, chilling the spine as if facing a legendary beast.
"Today… I'm going to wipe out all of you Uchiha trash!"
Crack!
—Lightning Release: Chidori!
In the next instant, Akira's hand blazed with searing electricity.
The alley, dim just moments ago, lit up as the storming light danced across every surface.
"..."
________________________________________________________________________________________________________