"Obito?"
The other Uchiha clan members were stunned. Some Police Force members, recalling that name, looked at Itachi in shock and asked, "Wait, Itachi, did you say this is Obito? Uchiha Obito? The one from the Shinobi World War?"
"Yes, that's him. I also know why he holds a grudge against Konoha," Itachi replied, his Sharingan fixed on the masked man.
What he knew about Obito came from his father, mother, and Aunt Mina. Obito was someone who, unable to accomplish his own dreams, placed his hopes in illusions while harboring hatred for Konoha. His father had summed it up: "Ultimately, it's his own incompetence."
Itachi couldn't agree more.
"You little brat…"
Under his mask, Obito's Sharingan glared at Itachi. He hadn't expected this kid to see through his identity, much less expose his motivations.
Seeing that moment replayed in his mind—the scene of Rin's death—Obito's heart filled with resentment. If only he had arrived a bit faster, healed a bit sooner, or avoided being gravely injured by Iwagakure…
Deep down, he even resented Minato, the "Fastest Shinobi," who was always just a fraction too late at critical moments. Extracting the Nine-Tails was partly to weaken Konoha and partly to seek revenge against Minato.
"Itachi, you were the one who sought me out to destroy the Uchiha clan. And now, what are you doing? Breaking our agreement?" Obito sneered, his gaze filled with accusation.
The other Uchiha clan members shifted their gaze to Itachi.
"It's no use, Obito. Even if you try to claim I wanted to kill the Third Hokage, you're not escaping tonight. We know your Mangekyō Sharingan ability. The moment you try to teleport, your body becomes tangible. With all these Sharingan focused on you, escape isn't possible," Itachi declared.
Hearing this, the Uchiha clan members' eyes flashed with understanding and anger. The Police Force members lined up around Obito, blocking his escape routes. Each of them was at least a two-tomoe Sharingan user, well-trained in the Uchiha clan's shuriken techniques.
With the Sharingan guiding their throws, they could alter the trajectory mid-air, making it difficult for Obito to dodge.
"No more talking. Tsunade-sama, Itachi, let's take him down and question him later!"
"Agreed!"
The Police Force members echoed, unfazed by Obito's Mangekyō abilities.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
In an instant, shuriken rained down on Obito from all directions.
As expected, the shuriken passed through him, as if he were just an illusion.
"He can only stay intangible for five minutes," Itachi reminded them. "Let's rotate teams to throw shuriken, so when he becomes tangible…"
Just then, they noticed Obito attempting to sink into the ground.
"Shinji!"
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"
Following Itachi's command, Uchiha Shinji performed hand seals, turning the ground around Obito into a swamp to prevent him from materializing underground.
Although unknown to the others, Obito could still use his intangibility underground.
Itachi, having tracked him, pointed and said, "He's about ten meters down!"
"Earth Release: Ground Core Shift!"
Another Police Force Jonin used an Earth Release jutsu, one of the many that could be copied by the Sharingan. The Jonin in the Police Force were proficient in multiple jutsu, making it easy for them to perform Earth Release techniques together.
"You're not getting away!"
Tsunade joined the assault, slamming her fist into the ground. Her monstrous strength created a massive crater, compressing the earth below even tighter.
Boom! Boom!
With an elite Jonin illusionist and over thirty Uchiha with two-tomoe and three-tomoe Sharingan on his tail, Obito was forced to fight for his life. His Mangekyō abilities were hardly enough against such a relentless assault.
Watching from above, Uchiha Yōichi shook his head. "Obito's having a rough time, and his escape path's only bringing him closer to Fugaku's home. And there's the Third Hokage, too."
'Damn it, Itachi. I'll kill you someday!' Obito seethed, escaping underground, filled with rage.
'This isn't good… my intangibility is wearing off!'
Feeling the strain on his eye, he knew he had no choice but to surface.
As Obito emerged, he was greeted by a booming voice.
"Transform, Enma! Into the adamantine staff!"
Boom!
An indestructible staff slammed into the ground where Obito stood, the force equal to Tsunade's raw strength.
Obito felt a chill as he remained intangible. But why was the Third Hokage here?
"What's going on, Itachi?"
Fugaku appeared beside them, his three-tomoe Sharingan fixed on Obito. He didn't fully understand the situation, but seeing the Police Force, Tsunade, and Itachi all chasing this masked man, he knew it was serious.
"He's the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails' attack eight years ago, the 'deceased' Uchiha Obito from the Shinobi World War," Itachi replied, glancing at Fugaku. He hadn't seen his father in years, and calling him "father" felt strange.
"So it's him… then he cannot be allowed to leave!" Fugaku's face hardened as his Sharingan transformed into a Mangekyō.
Obito's heart sank. He hadn't anticipated Fugaku wielding the Mangekyō Sharingan. Though the clan head had the nickname "Fierce Eye," Obito had never taken him seriously… until now.
Itachi repeated Obito's Mangekyō abilities for Fugaku and Hiruzen, who quickly grasped the strategy to counter him.
"…Damn it!"
The battle concluded with significant damage to the Uchiha district. Fortunately, the Police Force managed to evacuate civilians, sparing any casualties. Hiruzen used Shadow Clones and barrier techniques to shield against Obito's final jutsu, protecting the majority of the clan.
In the end, Tsunade struck Obito in the chest, sending him flying through several buildings before he was buried in rubble.
After a reminder from Itachi, Fugaku unearthed Obito from the ruins, removing his eye and handing him over to the Police Force.
"Tsunade-sama, thank you for your help tonight." Itachi approached, offering her a secret medicine. "This will restore your chakra and energy."
Realizing that Hiruzen's presence was likely thanks to Tsunade, Itachi had no qualms sharing the Uchiha clan's prized medicine.
Tsunade accepted the medicine, swallowing it in one gulp. A warmth spread through her body, quickly replenishing her chakra and stamina.
"You Uchiha even have secret medicines? This must be rare." Tsunade raised an eyebrow but, recalling other urgent matters, quickly asked, "Brat, you're here, so does that mean…"
"Danzo is dead," Itachi replied. His voice wasn't hushed, and both Fugaku and Hiruzen, who had just approached, heard him clearly.
"What did you say, Itachi?" Hiruzen asked, his face a mix of shock and disbelief.
"Danzo is dead. I killed him just now," Itachi said calmly, unaffected by the gravity of the situation.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
An illusionary crow appeared in Itachi's hand, and he took out a vial containing Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan. "Danzo ambushed Shisui-senpai and stole his eye. I retrieved it tonight. He also tried to coerce me into exterminating the Uchiha clan. When I discovered the true mastermind of the Nine-Tails' attack, I killed him."
After hearing Itachi's account, Hiruzen's expression became complicated. He didn't know whether to praise or scold Itachi. Not only had Itachi resolved the Uchiha conflict, but he had also captured the culprit behind the Nine-Tails' rampage.
With the revelation of the culprit, the Uchiha clan's tarnished reputation was restored. The Police Force's efforts tonight impressed Hiruzen, and the Uchiha clan saw firsthand Hiruzen's willingness to protect the innocent among them.
In a single night, years of distrust between the Uchiha and the village were erased.
Were it not for Danzo's death, Hiruzen thought, tonight would have been perfect. But with Danzo's betrayal of Shisui, coexistence with the Uchiha had become impossible.
With Danzo's death, the division between the Uchiha and the village vanished. As Hiruzen reflected on this, he realized Konoha's future had brightened, especially with Tsunade's return. Now, he no longer worried about Uchiha rebellion.
"Tsunade, I'll leave this matter to you," Hiruzen sighed, adding, "I'll handle Homura and Koharu."
Tsunade scowled, "Old man, stop dumping all this on me…"
"Don't pretend you didn't know anything! You deliberately kept this from me and brought me to the Uchiha district to prevent me from intervening with Danzo."
"Fine. Just keep those old fossils in check for me." Tsunade huffed, then turned to Fugaku. "Fugaku, the Police Force did an excellent job tonight. But since the clan district took some damage, let's meet tomorrow at the Hokage's office to discuss a new location for the Uchiha."
"Thank you, Tsunade-sama. The Uchiha clan will not forget the debt we owe you tonight," Fugaku responded, deeply relieved. He couldn't quite piece together every detail of what had happened, but he felt hopeful for the first time in years. The clan's standing within Konoha could now truly improve.
Tsunade nodded, hands on her hips. "Still, I've heard rumors of the Uchiha stirring up trouble recently, Fugaku."
Fugaku was about to dismiss this as gossip when Itachi interjected, "The rumors aren't baseless. There are indeed some hardliners in the Uchiha clan who've been advocating revolution as a way to restore our former status."
"Itachi!" Fugaku scolded, his voice tense. But then he noticed the crow perched on Itachi's shoulder, its eyes now bearing the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"What are you doing, Itachi?"
"Answering Tsunade-sama's concerns," Itachi replied calmly. "The two most vocal hardliners in the clan, those with the most revolutionary sentiment, have now had their minds subtly changed."
The crow flew to the two Uchiha who were known for their strong views on revolution and activated Shisui's Mangekyō ability, Kotoamatsukami. The two men blinked in confusion, then looked at each other, a subtle shift in their expressions hinting at newfound perspectives.
Itachi turned back to Tsunade. "Now, Tsunade-sama, you won't need to worry about any revolutionary activity from the Uchiha. And don't worry about Shisui's eye—I won't use its power recklessly. Its abilities will remain dormant for at least a decade."
"Well, I wasn't about to jump to conclusions," Tsunade muttered. But her face softened, her respect for Itachi growing. "For a kid, you sure have a level head. Guess I can't complain that you're too clever."
Itachi's calm smile hinted at his unspoken gratitude. His world had gained a sense of clarity, and with Fugaku's reluctant approval, he felt a quiet satisfaction.
(End of Chapter)
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