"Today's mission really depended on your support, Captain."
The masked ANBU operative nodded toward Itachi.
Blood was still flowing from the wound on his body. If the strike had landed even slightly off-center, it would have been fatal.
Yet the man himself seed completely unconcerned. Looking at the corpse on the ground, he sighed emotionally.
"We almost let that traitor escape with village intelligence. If those secrets had fallen into the hands of another great nation, border conflicts would've started all over again."
"Who knows how many comrades would've died…"
"... Go receive treatnt."
Itachi, who wore a mask as well, looked at him calmly without responding to the topic.
After destroying the traitor's corpse on the spot, the two separated imdiately.
The injured ANBU headed toward the hospital through a side route.
anwhile, Itachi removed his mask before returning to the village.
Before heading back to submit the mission report, he unexpectedly took a detour and arrived at a small, unremarkable tea stall that carried a strangely warm atmosphere.
He liked the sweets sold there very much.
"Granny, one—"
The girl ordering in front of him suddenly glanced back after noticing Itachi.
"Two servings of dango, please!"
She instantly doubled her order before turning around with a radiant smile.
"Itachi, what a coincidence!"
The girl's smile blood like a flower.
Her beautiful dark eyes curved into crescent moons, seemingly glowing with light.
At last, the indifferent expression on Itachi's face softened slightly.
"Mm."
"In a hurry?"
The girl casually examined Itachi's clothing before glancing toward the nearby bench beside the stall.
A silent invitation.
"Next ti."
"Oh, alright then. I'll pack it for you~"
As she spoke, she skillfully took the dango handed over by the elderly shop owner and threaded them together with bamboo skewers.
Then she pulled out a slender scarf from her clothes and tied the skewered dango into a neat little bow before handing it to Itachi with a cheerful smile.
"Make sure to eat them while they're warm. Don't let them get cold."
Itachi reached out to accept them.
Only to see her suddenly pull out another clean scarf from the opposite side.
Then, gently and naturally, she wiped away the traces of dust and dirt from his cheek and forehead.
"..."
"There, all clean."
Noticing Itachi's gaze lingering on her, she tilted her head with a smile.
Her beautiful black hair cascaded down like a waterfall.
Itachi quietly looked at her face—
Especially the tear mole beneath her right eye that drew attention so easily.
Then he softly said:
"Thank you, Izumi."
"You're welco."
She responded with the sa warm smile as always.
Inside the Hokage's office—
After completing his report, Itachi stepped out the door.
Only to encounter Danzō arriving at the exact sa mont.
Itachi treated him as though he were a complete stranger.
He silently shifted aside, waiting for Danzō to pass.
Danzō similarly ignored Itachi entirely and walked straight into the Hokage's office before shutting the door behind him.
Bang.
Hearing the door close behind him, Itachi—who had already lowered his head and begun walking away—finally shifted his gaze toward the coded mark Danzō left briefly upon the wall while passing by.
And the ti represented by that code.
That night—
Itachi knelt before his father while listening to Fugaku question him about the village situation and the thods the clan intended to use for their rebellion.
Itachi responded chanically.
He no longer attempted to stop the radicals within the clan who had already descended into madness.
During the years following Shisui's death, Itachi had co to understand sothing clearly—
The Uchiha clan could no longer stop.
And his father, as clan head, resembled a coachman desperately trying to control a runaway carriage.
Other than continuing to crack the whip, there was nothing left he could do.
Especially after the last ti before the stone tablet within the clan's forbidden shrine—
When Fugaku used the Mangekyō Sharingan to show him the future—
Itachi beca even more convinced of that truth.
Words alone could never stop disaster.
Whether natural disaster…
Or manmade catastrophe.
After leaving his father's room, the noisy argunts and voices still seed to echo endlessly in his ears, filling him with unease.
"Nii-san! Nii-san!"
A tiny figure suddenly threw himself into Itachi's arms.
Sasuke raised his head, completely failing to notice the exhaustion flashing briefly across his older brother's face as he excitedly shouted:
"Nii-san, co train with ! Today at school, Naruto beat that Hyūga guy using only taijutsu and—"
"Sorry, Sasuke. Next ti."
Before Sasuke could finish speaking, Itachi already extended two fingers and flicked him on the forehead.
"Ow!"
Sasuke imdiately covered the reddening spot and looked up at his brother with grievance-filled eyes.
A little too much force.
Itachi sighed inwardly.
But outwardly, his expression had already returned to calm indifference.
Leaving behind Sasuke's resentful stare and their mother comforting him, Itachi turned and departed from ho once more.
Night fell.
No moonlight shone.
Itachi glanced at the nearby streetlamp.
Soone had deliberately destroyed it.
Without hesitation, he walked directly into the dark forest path ahead.
A little farther inside lay the forbidden area of the Uchiha clan—
Nakano Shrine.
Back then, whenever he t with Shisui, there had always been light nearby.
Now…
Even that little bit of light was no longer permitted?
A strange thought suddenly surfaced within Itachi's mind for no reason.
But very quickly, his attention focused entirely upon the figure erging from the shrine.
"How did you learn about ?"
The masked man wearing a strange spiral-pattern mask stood at the shrine entrance.
Within the darkness of the mask's eyehole, a scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan stared directly at Itachi.
"Ever since you attacked when I was eight years old, I've been investigating your identity."
"No matter how well sothing is hidden, traces always remain."
"And the only people who know about this shrine…"
"Itachi slowly raised his eyes."
"Are mbers of the Uchiha clan."
Sensing the masked man's killing intent, Itachi's pupils gradually transford.
The three tomoe spun rapidly.
Then blade-like patterns appeared within his eyes.
Mangekyō Sharingan.
The instant he saw that, Obito's heart jolted violently.
He imdiately prepared to escape using Kamui—
But Itachi promptly dispelled the Mangekyō Sharingan again.
And his next sentence caused Obito to stop completely.
"Madara Uchiha."
"I need your help."
"... Go on."
After Itachi explained the plan he intended to carry out—
Obito nearly exploded with joy internally.
He understood instantly.
Another "awakened one" had appeared within the Uchiha clan.
Soone who, like himself, had seen through the truth of the ninja world.
But Obito couldn't reveal even the slightest abnormality.
Not a single trace.
Because right now—
He was "Madara Uchiha."
Not Obito Uchiha.
"Then we'll proceed according to our agreent."
Itachi withdrew his gaze and prepared to leave.
"If you ever reach the point where you have nowhere else to go…"
Obito forcibly suppressed the excitent within himself before extending an invitation.
"You may consider joining my organization."
"Your organization?"
"Its na is Akatsuki."
"There…"
Obito's voice lowered aningfully.
"You'll find so interesting surprises."
As space distorted around him, Obito vanished before Itachi's eyes.
Itachi silently watched the scene.
He didn't know whether the other man was still secretly observing him.
But for Itachi—
His true task had only just begun.
However—
On his way back, when Itachi passed by the riverside—
A familiar voice suddenly called out:
"Itachi, what a coincidence!"
Itachi instinctively turned toward the riverbank.
Beside a bonfire stood Izumi Uchiha, waving toward him with the sa clear, radiant smile as always.
Itachi knew she enjoyed watching the scenery by the river.
So encountering her here wasn't surprising.
What truly shocked him—
Was the blond-haired boy standing beside Izumi while stuffing grilled fish into his mouth.
"Oh? Isn't this Sasuke's older brother?"
The blond boy followed Izumi's gaze and noticed Itachi too.
Then he stood up cheerfully and greeted him.
"Co eat so fish!"
This was the Uchiha clan district.
Why was the Nine-Tails jinchūriki here?!
Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon -> [email protected]/AiraTales7 (replace @ with a)
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