I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

After witnessing someone effortlessly evade a sneak attack and analyze his abilities in mere moments, Obito's expression under the mask grew grim. His gaze at Shisui turned serious.

Obito had long operated within the Uchiha clan's shadows, yet he had never encountered such a formidable presence among them. This unexpected variable complicated his plans, making Itachi's defection significantly more difficult to secure.

As Obito hesitated, the surrounding Uchiha shinobi completed their encirclement. One of them activated his Sharingan, unleashing a genjutsu aimed at subduing him.

Without hesitation, Obito phased through the illusion with Kamui's intangibility, evading its effects. He surged forward, attempting to drag a jōnin into Kamui's dimension, but before he could succeed, Shisui's sword struck his head, forcing him to dematerialize.

After several failed attempts, Obito's frustration grew evident.

Kamui's speed usually rendered him untouchable, making it nearly impossible for a standard jōnin to counter him. Yet, the Uchiha before him could effortlessly track his movements. His Body Flicker Technique—so fast it blurred into multiple afterimages—bore an eerie resemblance to the Fourth Hokage's signature speed.

Though Kamui made him impervious, it did not make him omnipotent. Executing his plan under Shisui's watchful eyes would be exceedingly difficult unless he escalated the fight further.

With this in mind, Obito raised his arm, and tendrils of Mokuton erupted from his sleeve, launching at breakneck speed toward the Uchiha guards.

One unfortunate guard was struck—immediately, thick wooden growths burst from his wound, causing him to writhe in agony.

The surrounding Uchiha watched in horror.

Their assailant possessed not only the Sharingan but also the First Hokage's legendary Wood Release. Could this be Konoha's secret weapon against them? How could such a monster exist?

A similar thought flashed through Shisui's mind, but he quickly dismissed it.

He knew the masked man's true identity—likely the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails' attack. This man was no Konoha shinobi; if the village had access to a Mokuton user, the world would have known long ago.

But why had he chosen this exact moment, just as the clan prepared to launch its coup?

Wait…

A realization struck Shisui, his face darkening.

Sensing Shisui's distraction, Obito seized the opening, instantly warping to his side. A swirling vortex formed in his palm, intent on dragging Shisui into the Kamui dimension.

One second.

Two seconds.

Before he could be sucked in, Shisui executed a high-speed Body Flicker, splitting into dozens of phantoms, all striking at Obito simultaneously. His Sharingan gleamed ominously.

A deliberate feint. He wanted Obito to take the bait.

"This is… Shisui's Body Flicker? You're Uchiha Shisui!"

Recognizing his opponent, Obito swiftly disengaged, retreating into the Uchiha Police Headquarters. He had no intention of prolonging the fight.

Even with Kamui's overwhelming advantage, he could systematically eliminate multiple Sharingan-wielding jōnin. However, if his opponent wielded a Mangekyō Sharingan, the risks increased exponentially. The cost of revealing himself outweighed the potential gain.

Once Obito's chakra signature vanished, Shisui exhaled heavily, then turned to his fellow Uchiha.

Had Obito not withdrawn, Shisui might have been forced to use Izanagi, sacrificing one of his Sharingan to rewrite his fate.

After witnessing the masked man's battle with Shisui, the remaining Uchiha exhaled in relief, grateful that Shisui still fought alongside them.

A young kunoichi, Izumi Uchiha, stepped forward, her brows furrowed.

"Brother Shisui, who was that?"

Shisui didn't hesitate. "I can't say for sure. But he's most likely the one behind the Nine-Tails' attack. I never expected him to return."

"The mastermind of the Nine-Tails' assault?!"

The gathered Uchiha bristled with fury. Their clan had endured years of persecution and suspicion due to that fateful night.

Without it, mere political bias from the Hokage wouldn't have driven them to the brink of rebellion.

Sighing, Shisui set aside further explanations. "Our plan must change. Instead of distracting the higher-ups, we need to lead the clan in a direct escape."

A heavy silence followed.

They understood the implications. If they continued with their original plan, the masked man would hunt them down one by one. Worse, their relocated families—women, children, and the elderly—would be slaughtered. The clan faced annihilation.

As Shisui led his comrades back to the Uchiha district, a grim sight awaited them.

Their designated evacuees—defenseless civilians—lay butchered in the streets. The air reeked of blood.

The Uchiha who had been tasked with escorting them now lay lifeless, their bodies torn apart by precise blade strikes.

But the killer was nowhere to be seen.

With each passing moment, more corpses surfaced. Shisui's expression darkened, his anger turning to cold determination.

"Teams of four. Evacuate any survivors. The rest of you, follow me. We're hunting the murderer."

"Yes, Shisui-sama!"

Shisui moved through the bloodied streets, his heart hardening with each lifeless form.

So far, he had counted at least ten slain clan members. There were likely more.

He dreaded the thought—if they couldn't successfully evacuate the remaining children, this night would mark the Uchiha's extinction.

Upon reaching the edge of the district, Shisui froze.

A woman lay lifeless in a pool of her own blood. Her resemblance to Izumi was undeniable.

Izumi's breath hitched before she crumpled to the ground, sobbing.

Her mother—an ordinary civilian who had never awakened her Sharingan—was dead.

Shisui remained silent. There were no words of comfort for such a loss. He simply rested a hand on Izumi's shoulder. "I'm sorry. But we need to keep moving. Others still need us."

Izumi wiped her tears and nodded. Yet, her gaze remained fixed on a kunai embedded in the ground.

A kunai she recognized.

"Shisui… this belongs to Itachi. Only he uses this type of kunai."

Her voice trembled. "Did he fight the attacker? Even he couldn't win?"

A realization dawned. Her fingers clenched.

"Shisui… why would Itachi kill my mother?"

Shisui's breath caught.

Her words shattered the last of his denial.

The wounds, the technique—it wasn't the masked man.

It was Itachi.

Only he knew why.

Taking a deep breath, Shisui steadied himself. "We need answers."

Izumi hesitated before removing her mother's forehead protector, tucking it into her pocket.

Then, without another word, she followed Shisui into the darkness.

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