A gloomy night.
Sasuke was suddenly awoken by an urgent need to use the bathroom. Groggily, he glanced at his alarm clock.
3 AM.
Stretching his arms, he got up and headed toward the bathroom. As he passed by the living room, he noticed a dark figure standing there.
Rubbing his eyes to clear his vision, Sasuke tried to make out the person.
"Brother?"
"Sasuke, why are you still awake?" The figure responded.
"I just woke up to use the bathroom. Brother, you're back?" Sasuke said, taking a few steps forward and getting a better look at the figure in front of him.
His brother, Itachi, was still wearing his ANBU combat gear, likely having just returned from a mission. His face was shrouded in shadows, perhaps due to the moonlight behind him.
"Brother?"
Sasuke took another step forward.
Boom!
A sudden explosion shattered the night.
Sasuke saw a burst of fire rising in the distance, accompanied by the deafening roar of an explosion.
What's happening...
Sasuke's mind blanked for a moment.
The lights in Fugaku's room flickered on immediately.
Another bright fireball illuminated the village, tracing a long fiery tail as it streaked toward Sasuke's location.
Boom!
The house next door collapsed under the force of the fireball's impact. The heat and wind blasted into Sasuke's face as the flames danced in his wide eyes.
"Bro... brother..." Sasuke's voice trembled.
"Don't be afraid," Itachi's voice remained calm and steady.
"Sasuke, in a moment, stay close to Mom and head to the shelter."
At that moment, Fugaku and Mikoto rushed out of their bedroom, both in simple sleepwear. They saw Itachi and Sasuke standing at the entrance to the living room.
"Itachi?" Fugaku called out in surprise.
"Father, Mother..." Sasuke, feeling a sense of security, called to them in a soft voice, pointing toward the fiery wreckage across from them, still somewhat in shock.
Fugaku stepped into the hallway and looked at the flames outside.
"Is this an attack?" His eyes flashed with a sharp light, but there was no panic in his voice.
Silhouettes began darting across the rooftops, and the sounds of explosions continued in the distance.
"Fugaku, what should we do?" Mikoto asked, coming closer.
"If it's an attack, the ninjas will evacuate the civilians first and then launch a counterattack," Fugaku said in a deep voice. "The Hokage will soon mobilize a defense."
"You should take Sasuke to the shelter under the Hokage Rock. It will be opened soon."
"Alright." Mikoto didn't hesitate, trusting her husband and eldest son completely, knowing what needed to be done next.
"Sasuke, let's go." She lifted Sasuke in her arms and leapt onto the roof.
A green flare soared into the sky, exploding into brilliant sparks.
The house across the street collapsed further under the fire's assault, sending dust and debris flying in every direction.
"Itachi," Fugaku said softly.
"Yes."
"Do you know who the enemy is?"
Itachi stood tall, his face calm and composed in his ANBU uniform.
"I don't know."
Not long after, two figures suddenly appeared from an unknown direction.
"Captain."
"It's the Mist Ninja, they're attacking the village!"
Upon hearing this, Fugaku's heart sank, and he immediately commanded, "Evacuate the civilians, avoid engaging the enemy for now. The shelter under the Hokage Rock should be open by now."
"Understood!" The two ninjas quickly vanished into thin air.
"Father," Itachi suddenly spoke.
"Do you remember the last time we saw a scene like this?"
Fugaku turned to glance at him. Itachi's expression was calm, neither sad nor happy, as he gazed quietly at the distant ruins.
The last time... the Nine-Tails' attack.
Fugaku seemed to recall something.
"Father, don't you think this is a perfect opportunity?"
Explosions echoed from a distance, the cries and wails of people faintly audible, though it seemed like they came from a different world entirely.
Fugaku leapt onto the rooftop, surveying the scene more clearly.
Half of the village had turned into a sea of flames. Silhouettes darted across the rooftops as ninja clashed, their battle cries drowned out by the sounds of explosions.
"Fugaku!" A voice suddenly called out, and several figures appeared in front of him.
"It's an attack by the Mist Village."
"The enemy is relentless, clearly prepared for this."
"How did they cross the border? Is the Third Hokage sleeping on the job?!"
The group of men began speaking all at once, their words filling Fugaku's ears, but his expression remained calm.
"Fugaku," one of the men suddenly placed a hand on Fugaku's shoulder.
"Don't you think this is the perfect opportunity?"
He echoed the same words Itachi had said earlier. The other men immediately fell silent.
A fireball crashed nearby, causing a house to collapse in flames, but none of them flinched.
"I've already sent someone to find the Jinchūriki kid."
"This is our moment!"
Fugaku's eyes swept over the men in front of him, noting the fervor in their eyes.
Opportunity...
Fugaku's gaze darkened.
"Rescue the civilians. Repel the enemy!" His voice was firm and decisive.
"Captain!!"
The men were stunned, seemingly unable to comprehend his decision.
"We want the Hidden Leaf Village, not a pile of rubble," Fugaku said coldly.
"Do you want the Uchiha to rule over a wasteland as Hokage?!"
"But..." One of them tried to argue, but fell silent under the weight of Fugaku's piercing gaze.
"Do I need to repeat myself?" His voice was icy.
The men broke into a cold sweat, unable to muster a response.
"Prioritize the civilians. Repel the enemy with full force!"
"Yes!" They bowed their heads in submission and quickly disappeared.
Once they were gone, Itachi reappeared beside Fugaku.
"Father, you made a wise decision," Itachi said.
Fugaku didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the inferno before him.
The moon hung high in the sky, its cold light clashing with the fiery red of the flames below.
"Did you cause this?" Fugaku asked quietly.
"I don't have the authority for something like this," Itachi replied.
"But," he added, his tone shifting.
"Father, things are different from seven years ago."
"This time, it's the Uchiha's turn to be the heroes."
With those words, Itachi leaped from the rooftop, vanishing into the blazing night.
Fugaku remained standing, his thoughts racing as he tried to process everything that was happening.
Shisui, is this your doing...?
On the rooftop of the Hokage's office.
The Third Hokage was giving rapid instructions to the many ninja gathered before him.
"Members of Squads 1 through 6, form emergency search and rescue teams. Evacuate civilians as the top priority and avoid direct confrontation with the enemy for now."
"Squads 7 through 10, search for the enemy's hideouts outside the village."
"Activate the highest emergency protocol and notify all ninja and civilians."
Below, the village's sirens blared loudly, and flares of various colors exploded in the sky. Shadows darted across the rooftops as countless ninja sped through the air.
"Notify the barrier team to immediately form a sensory barrier around the village. Have the Yamanaka and Hyūga clans coordinate intelligence and relay enemy information to our forces."
"Get the medical team into position and send a portion of them to the shelters."
"Move out!"
The Third Hokage had already shed his ceremonial robes, now clad in battle armor, ready to join the fight himself.
"Sarutobi!" A familiar voice suddenly called from behind.
The Third Hokage turned to see Danzo, fully dressed and leaning on his cane, flanked by two Root members.
"How could the Mist Ninja cross the border to attack the Leaf?" Danzo asked, clearly already aware of the situation.
"We don't know yet. The priority right now is to protect the village," the Third Hokage replied in a grave tone.
"Get your Root agents out there, help evacuate the civilians. The shelters are open."
"I know that," Danzo replied, his tone slow and measured.
"But there's something more important—the Uchiha. Have you forgotten about them?"
"They've been planning a coup for some time. If they take advantage of the current chaos, it could be a fatal blow to the Leaf!"
The Third Hokage shot Danzo a cold look. "Fugaku isn't that foolish. He cares about the village's safety. If he wants the title of Hokage, he wouldn't risk the lives of the villagers."
"You're too naive," Danzo sneered.
"I've already sent my men to keep an eye on the Uchiha. I've also dispatched agents to secure the Jinchūriki."
The Third Hokage tightened his gauntlet and said, "Send Naruto to the shelter. There are people there who will look after him. Danzo, this isn't the time for you to act recklessly."
"Recklessly? Sarutobi, I'm right about the Uchiha. You've been far too lenient with them," Danzo retorted coldly.
"Have you considered the consequences of this chaos?"
"And what do you plan to do?" The Third Hokage turned, giving Danzo a sharp look.
"While we're under attack, do you intend to stain the hands of the Leaf's ninja with the blood of their own comrades?"
"When dawn breaks, will it be you and I standing atop the ruins of the village, or Fugaku? Or perhaps the Mist Ninja?"
"Send Naruto to the shelter. Let the Uchiha do what they will. Have your Root agents assist in the rescue. Danzo, this is your last warning!"
With that, the Third Hokage leaped from the rooftop, vanishing into the blazing night.
Danzo watched him disappear, his expression dark and unreadable.
"Sir?"
A soft voice from one of his subordinates broke the silence.
"What are your orders?"
"You heard the Hokage. Help evacuate the civilians!" Danzo snapped.
"And make sure the Jinchūriki is escorted to the shelter. Assign two agents to guard him—make sure the Uchiha can't get close."
"Yes, sir!"
The two Root agents immediately disappeared.
Danzo's face remained clouded as he contemplated the events unfolding.
How did the Mist Ninja manage to breach our borders...?
"Ah!"
A scream pierced the night as a Mist Ninja fell to the ground, lifeless, blood gushing from the deep cut in his neck. He had been killed with precision, without mercy.
Shisui stood gripping his short sword tightly, his eyes wide as he stared down at the fallen enemy.
Mist Ninja... here in the village...
How did they manage to get past the border?
The surroundings were in shambles, with ruins and flames everywhere. His mind raced back to the conversation he'd had with Ren just days before, and to what Ren had said about something major happening tonight.
Inviting the enemy inside...
Ren, was this your doing?
Shisui's mind buzzed with confusion, the devastation around him leaving him cold inside.
Earlier that evening, at the Uchiha clan meeting, he had followed Ren's advice and reassured his clansmen.
The Uchiha had been eager, impatient even, but he had urged them that now wasn't the right time to act.
Fortunately, the clan leader, Fugaku, had agreed with him.
Another Mist Ninja charged at Shisui, but with a swift reverse slash, Shisui decapitated the attacker on the spot.
Ren... how could you...
Shisui's hands trembled uncontrollably.
Anger, disappointment—they were starting to flood his heart.
Now, all he wanted was to confront Ren, to demand answers for why he had done this. How many lives had been lost because of his decision?
Shisui leaped onto a rooftop, swiftly cutting down the enemies in his path. As he turned a corner, his eyes fell upon a familiar figure below.
"Itachi!"
He landed beside the figure, noticing the collapsed houses lining both sides of the street.
"When did you return, Itachi?"
Itachi stood motionless, seemingly oblivious to Shisui's question amid the chaos around them.
"Itachi, you—"
Shisui started to speak again but froze when he noticed the body lying on the ground in front of Itachi.
Or rather, the corpse.
It wasn't a Mist ninja. The body was dressed in nightclothes, likely caught off guard by the chaos. Her brown hair was drenched in blood, a gruesome wound slashed across her neck, and her lifeless hands still clutched a kunai. Her eyes were vacant, devoid of life.
"Is that... Izumi?"
Clatter!
The short sword in Shisui's hand fell to the ground. He stared blankly at the corpse lying before him.
"It wasn't supposed to..." Itachi's throat moved, struggling to produce sound.
"We were only supposed to lead the Mist ninjas here..."
"..."
"Wasn't the Hokage's strategy already prepared for this?"
"Wasn't this attack orchestrated to elevate the Uchiha as heroes, to protect the village?"
"Then why... why is Izumi dead?"
Tears of blood streamed down Itachi's face, tracing the path of his anguish before falling to the ground.
"Shisui."
"I... what have I done?"
Buildings crumbled, fire spread, and the cries of the villagers, the screams of both enemies and allies, all converged into an apocalyptic scene. Blood and fire forged a lament, a tragic song for the catastrophe unfolding before them.
Shisui took a deep breath, silently picked up his fallen blade, and turned to leave.
Ren...
Do you understand what you've done?
His gaze grew cold and dark, his body flashing across the rooftops.
"Shisui of the Body Flicker."
Suddenly, a voice called out, halting Shisui in his tracks. He scanned his surroundings warily but found no one.
In that instant, the space before him began to twist and distort, forming a spiral vortex out of thin air.
A man wearing a mask with a spiral pattern, clad in black with a katana at his waist, slowly emerged from the vortex.
"I've been wondering who was pulling the strings behind all this."
"To send that boy Itachi to provoke the Mist, to invite wolves into the village to avert the Uchiha's impending coup."
"Quite the elaborate plan, Uchiha Shisui."
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