Chương 32: Chapter 32: Itachi’s Choice

At that moment—

Just outside the Root's base.

"Lord Danzo!" A figure in an Anbu uniform knelt on one knee.

Danzo Shimura, the leader of Root and leaning on his cane, immediately asked, "Is there any movement from the Uchiha clan?"

"Not for the time being. Lady Tsunade has unexpectedly returned to the village, forcing them to delay their coup plans."

"That's only temporary. The Uchiha clan's ambition won't end here."

Danzo's cold gaze settled on the kneeling figure. "Itachi, tell me your answer."

The kneeling Anbu raised his head. His face, still youthful and handsome, bore faint tear lines, while his eyes glowed a menacing crimson.

Within those blood-red eyes, three black tomoe circled one another in perfect symmetry, shining brightly.

"For the sake of the village, sacrifices are necessary."

"Discontent with the village, constantly planning a coup to seize power—such a clan cannot be allowed to remain."

Danzo gazed down at the Uchiha prodigy before him and spoke softly, "But you still have a choice... If you're willing to eliminate the rest of the Uchiha, removing any threats to the village, your younger brother, Sasuke Uchiha, can live."

"Yes, I've made my decision."

After listening to Danzo's words, Itachi's expression was devoid of emotion. He replied, "Tonight, I will personally end the Uchiha clan."

Yet…the left hand pressed against his knee clenched, veins bulging.

It showed that, deep inside, he was far from calm.

"Then, it's in your hands."

---

Half an hour later.

Behind the Uchiha clan's grounds.

In an empty forest.

"Come out."

Arriving at the spot, Itachi spoke in a low voice.

A ripple twisted through the air before him, and a masked figure appeared.

The masked man observed Itachi's cold face and said calmly, "It seems you've made your decision."

Strangely enough, the single eye revealed through his mask was also a Sharingan, glowing red.

"I need your help."

Itachi's gaze was resolute as he spoke.

At only thirteen, his slightly youthful voice carried a chilling edge. "Take the western guard division. It's yours."

"No problem, I could use a little exercise."

The masked man tilted his head, cracking his neck with a faint grin.

"Remember, do not harm Sasuke. He is my 'backup pair of eyes,'" Itachi said coldly.

"Don't worry, I won't touch your brother… What time?"

"Eight tonight."

"Good."

---

Dusk.

A dark, windy night.

The moon was unusually round.

Yet the entire Konoha Village was gripped by an inexplicable, oppressive atmosphere.

Just outside the Konoha Village hospital—

Kiyoshi and Tsunade both felt the shift in the air.

"Hm?" Tsunade stopped in her tracks, her brows furrowed slightly.

"What's wrong, Lady Tsunade?" Shizune, unable to detect the unusual atmosphere, looked at Tsunade in confusion.

"It's coming from the Uchiha district. A large number of shinobi have surrounded the area, and their chakra isn't weak. Something might be happening."

Kiyoshi shrugged, glancing at Tsunade. "Tsunade-nee, should we go check it out?"

With his keen sensory abilities, Kiyoshi had already noticed the strong chakra sources surrounding the Uchiha grounds, practically sealing it off.

It was clear, the entire clan's territory had been quietly surrounded by Anbu. Not even a fly would be able to escape.

"The Uchiha?" Tsunade murmured, a deep frown crossing her face.

"What?" Shizune gasped in shock.

She recalled what the Third Hokage had mentioned in passing to Tsunade days ago, warning that the Uchiha clan had become restless.

Could this be related?

"Let it go. We don't need to get involved in their nonsense."

Tsunade's brow slowly relaxed, and it was clear she had no intention of intervening.

Coming from the Senju clan, Tsunade had little fondness for the Uchiha, much less the desire to meddle in their affairs.

She turned to Kiyoshi. "You've had a long day. Go get some rest."

"Understood, Tsunade-sensei."

"See you tomorrow, then!"

Kiyoshi nodded earnestly, bidding farewell to Tsunade and Shizune before heading toward the Ishikawa residence.

"So, it's finally happening?"

Yet, no one noticed the faint smile tugging at Kiyoshi's lips.

He wasn't some hero bent on rescuing anyone. From the start, he had planned to reap whatever benefits he could from the situation.

As he passed through an empty corner, Kiyoshi moved discreetly.

Unknown to anyone, beneath his feet—

Thick root-like vines, as solid as steel needles, pierced through the ground, growing at visible speed and forming small, thin figures one by one.

Soon after, these figures began stealthily moving underground toward the Uchiha district.

And those small figures, transformed, one by one, into pale bodies.

It was unmistakable. They looked like White Zetsu clones.

The Mayfly Technique!

The Substitute Technique!

Finally, the abilities he had absorbed from the White Zetsu clones were proving useful.

"Since the clan's fate is already sealed…"

"The Uchiha clan's legacy… I'll gladly claim it."

---------------

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Chương 33: Chapter 33: Fall of Uchiha

"Woof, woof…"

In the quiet Uchiha compound.

As night fell, lights flickered on in every household.

Occasionally, a dog barked in the distance.

Beneath a lamppost…

Itachi, dressed in the dark attire of the Anbu and carrying a shinobi blade on his back, stood silently, gazing at the glowing lights of the homes before him.

His Sharingan, with its three tomoe spinning in his eyes, radiated a cold determination.

Without further hesitation, he drew the blade from his back.

Then, he dashed toward the closest house.

Shick…

"Itachi?"

"Why…?"

Clang…

"My child…Itachi, you monster!"

"Ahhh…"

…

Screams of agony echoed through the compound.

One by one, the lights went out.

Angry shouts and desperate fighting could be heard, but the battles ended quickly.

Blood splattered across windows.

Itachi moved like a cold, unfeeling killing machine, mercilessly taking down anyone in his path.

No one was spared, not even defenseless clan members—men, women, children, all fell in pools of blood.

Some were people who had greeted him earlier that day, with friendly smiles and casual conversation.

Now, they lay motionless, their bodies scattered across the ground.

"Tsk, tsk… quite the ruthless sight…"

One by one, pale, white humanoid figures emerged silently from the ground, trailing the sounds of anguish and chaos.

Without hesitation, they harvested Sharingan from the fallen bodies.

Any clan member from a well-off household was thoroughly looted.

Because Kiyoshi had given them clear orders.

Not only did he want the Sharingan, but also the treasures and the countless secret jutsu, techniques, and forbidden arts that the Uchiha clan had amassed over generations.

Before long—

The figures reached the Uchiha archive, where forbidden and secret techniques were stored. The doors were locked to all except the clan leader and elders.

Guarded by skilled Uchiha shinobi, many of whom had mastered the three-tomoe Sharingan and reached elite Jonin level, the archive should have been impenetrable.

But Itachi, wielding the Mangekyo Sharingan, overpowered them with ease, killing them without hesitation.

With unmatched talent and help from his late friend Shisui, Itachi had become a master of Genjutsu.

He blurred illusion and reality,

A skill far beyond the grasp of these three-tomoe Sharingan users.

The Uchiha had grown overconfident in their eyes, convinced their Sharingan could pierce through any illusion, blind to the fact they were already ensnared.

This arrogance, along with Itachi's surprise attack, allowed him to exterminate even the most skilled of them in such a short time.

From a distance, watching Itachi eliminate the guards, the white figures emerged.

They retrieved storage scrolls and began carefully collecting every scroll and document—ninjustu, secret jutsu, and forbidden techniques—that the Uchiha had preserved over centuries.

With their unique abilities, they even reached hidden rooms where the most classified secrets were stored, escaping without a trace.

Soon, the entire archive was looted.

A fierce blaze erupted, consuming the building in flames…

At that moment—

In the residence of the Uchiha clan leader.

Uchiha Fugaku and his wife, Mikoto, knelt before Itachi as he entered, blade drawn.

Already understanding what was happening, Fugaku looked at his son with a calm expression.

"So, it seems you've made your choice, Itachi. You've chosen to stand with them…"

"Father, I'm… I'm sorry."

Itachi's gaze was firm. "This way, the village won't fall into chaos… and Sasuke will survive."

"Although I am the clan leader, I am also a father. I do not wish to fight my own son…" Fugaku gazed at him calmly, "Since you've chosen this path, then pursue it resolutely."

"You don't have to feel sorrow, Itachi. I don't blame you," Mikoto smiled warmly at Itachi, showing no fear of death.

"Father… Mother…"

Tears streamed down Itachi's face.

His hand, clutching the blood-stained blade, began to tremble.

Seeing her son's tear-streaked face, Mikoto's heart ached. "Our pain will be brief, but yours will last a lifetime."

"No matter what, you will always be my proud son."

"Please… take care of Sasuke."

Itachi, trembling, positioned himself behind his parents.

Both hands gripped the blade stained with the blood of his clan, and, with pain in his expression, eyes shut tightly.

He brought it down.

Shick! Shick!

Two figures fell silently to the floor, blood pooling beneath them.

Itachi collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face.

His Sharingan, once again, took on the form of a triangular pinwheel.

After a long silence, he took a deep breath.

Wiping blood from his face, he turned to see a small figure stumble into the room, face pale with terror.

It was his younger brother, Sasuke, just returning from the Ninja Academy.

As for why the Academy conveniently held him late with an event.

That was beyond explanation.

"Nii-san, what… what happened here?" Sasuke stammered, trembling, as he looked at the blood-stained bodies of their parents…

And at Itachi, covered in blood, his eyes cold and filled with murderous intent.

His face went pale as he struggled to comprehend. "Father and Mother… and everyone…"

After returning to the compound, he'd seen bodies of other clan members strewn across the streets.

Terrified but determined to reach home, he ran desperately.

But only to find his worst nightmare waiting.

He could barely accept the reality before him, overwhelmed with grief and fear.

"It was me…" Itachi's voice was cold.

Sasuke froze.

"What?"

Sasuke shook his head frantically, refusing to believe. "No… you're lying, right? This isn't you, Itachi!"

"Then see it for yourself!"

Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan spun, forming the triangular pinwheel shape.

"Tsukuyomi!"

In an instant, the scene shifted.

Sasuke suddenly found himself observing from a third-person perspective, witnessing Itachi's slaughter of the first clan member, his merciless attack on their parents… the entire massacre of the Uchiha clan played out in horrifying clarity.

It was painfully real.

Yet, he could only watch. He couldn't intervene or stop it.

"No!"

Gasping for breath, Sasuke's face went pale, unable to process the reality, his shock mixed with anger.

He clenched his fists, shouting furiously at Itachi, "No… this can't be true. Tell me… why?"

Unable to believe that his beloved brother had mercilessly slaughtered their entire clan, including their parents.

"To test my capacity…" Itachi's voice was icy. "This foolish and arrogant clan, clinging to false glories, dreaming hopeless dreams, had no reason to exist anymore."

"Damn you…" Sasuke, now blinded by rage, lunged forward, his Sharingan spinning, a single tomoe beginning to form.

Watching Sasuke's anger fuel his Sharingan, Itachi, suppressing his inner anguish, ruthlessly struck out with a kick.

Boom!

Sasuke, now senseless, was thrown to the ground, curled in pain, drenched in cold sweat.

Realizing the vast power gap between him and Itachi, Sasuke's heart filled with terror as he looked up at his brother, who was now devoid of the gentle warmth he once knew.

He instinctively tried to flee.

But Itachi appeared before him in an instant.

Gripping Sasuke's throat, he used Tsukuyomi once more. "Ahhh… no, don't make me see it again… Nii-san, please… I can't take it…"

Seeing that Sasuke's Sharingan hadn't progressed further under this trauma, Itachi felt a pang of disappointment.

Holding the nearly broken Sasuke in one hand, he threw him aside.

Looking down at his brother's devastated face, filled with fear and hatred, he spoke coldly, "My foolish little brother…"

"If you wish to kill me, then curse me, hate me… live an ugly life of survival…"

"Run, escape, only to survive, and when you possess eyes like mine, come and face me."

---------------

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