The Uchiha Clan Massacre (Part One)

Issui had been in the Hokage World for almost two years. He had come to understand this wondrous world fairly well and gradually become a part of it, yet a terrible fear still lingered in his heart: some powerful ninja might accidentally snuff him out, and that would be a tragedy. Strength. Only great strength could protect him and everything he sought to protect. His advantages were his knowledge of how this world's events would unfold and his own powerful bloodline.

As a transmigrator, Issui had lived up to his status. In his first exam during his first year at school, he had tied with Sasuke for first place in the entire school, earning him recognition as a genius of Konoha's current generation. The villagers delighted in talking about how both the Uchiha and Hyuga Clans had produced a genius at the same time. Although Issui had joined the Hyuga Clan as a son-in-law, he was still one of them, no matter how one looked at it. Few people knew his former identity. Under the Lord Hokage's control, everyone knew only that Issui was a war orphan and that the Hyuga Clan head had recognized his great potential. His admission into the clan was proof that his abilities had been acknowledged. With the Hyuga Clan's help, the troubles around Issui had also disappeared one by one.

Issui's Eye of Heaven kekkei genkai had never appeared in the original story. If the immense soul power he had brought with him when he transmigrated had not awakened his eyes under conditions of extreme grief, the kekkei genkai would probably have been forgotten. And without Yi Shui transmigrating here, Issui Kanna would presumably have been killed by Zabuza, and this powerful bloodline would have vanished from the Hokage World. At the thought, a powerful conviction rose in Issui's heart. I will become a powerful ninja.

On the mountain behind the Hyuga Clan estate, Issui Kanna and Hinata Hyuga practiced Taijutsu without stopping. Ever since they started at the Ninja Academy, Issui and Hinata had gone there to train after school, and after nearly two years of persistence, they had made obvious progress. Issui had mastered the first stage of his awakened eyes, his Taijutsu had improved tremendously, and his accuracy with Shuriken had also increased considerably. As for Ninjutsu, he had learned nothing beyond the Three Basic Techniques and the Rope Escape Technique. Although Issui had memorized the hand seals for some techniques while watching anime in his previous life, he believed mastery was better than quantity. Sometimes, even the simple Three Basic Techniques could be highly effective when used together properly. With Issui's constant encouragement, Hinata had gained confidence. The change in her strength over the past two years had astonished her. Before, her inferiority complex and timidity had kept her from making any progress in her various exercises. Now, under Issui's careful guidance and sensible training regimen, her strength continued to improve, the mysteries of the world kept opening up to her, and she had successfully awakened her own kekkei genkai—the Byakugan!

"All right, let's head back early today. We still need to refine Chakra for three hours tonight. I don't know what's been going on lately, but I keep feeling uneasy, like something big is about to happen. Maybe it's just my imagination. Let's go. I hope nothing terrible happens." Issui stopped and frowned as he spoke.

"Could all the training lately be putting a strain on your body? Maybe you should rest for a few days, Issui," Hinata said nervously.

"I'm fine. Maybe I'm just overthinking it. Don't worry, Hinata. Once we get back, as long as I can eat the rice balls made by our beautiful Hinata, all my troubles and worries will vanish," Issui said gently.

"Issui%?..." Two red patches immediately appeared on Hinata's face, and her temperature kept rising...

Issui's head began to ache again. Here we go again. Honestly.

Issui and Hinata had just returned home when they ran into Hyuga Hiashi, who had also just come back.

"Hello, Uncle." "Hello, Father," Issui and Hinata hurriedly said.

"Mm. I've heard you've both been training constantly lately. Very good. I'm very pleased. Hinata has successfully awakened her Byakugan too. As expected, bringing you into the Hyuga Clan as a son-in-law was the right decision, Issui. If you need anything in the future, just ask. Whether it's ninja tools, Ninjutsu, or something you don't understand, you can come to me. Intensify the resonance between your souls." Hyuga Hiashi seemed very happy. The Konoha High Command had already decided to eliminate the arrogant Uchiha Clan and would act tomorrow night. The Hyuga Clan would become Konoha's largest clan, without rival. His daughter had also begun to show promise, and the Heaven Clan's bloodline would one day merge with the Hyuga bloodline. The Hyuga Clan would return to its former glory.

"Yes, Uncle." "Yes, Father," Issui and Hinata answered.

After watching Hyuga Hiashi walk away, Issui let out a long breath. What a load of pressure. He glanced at Hinata beside him; she was exhausted too.

"Hinata, your dad is scary. That's the first time I've ever seen him smile. Looks like some guy is in for some serious bad luck." Issui really couldn't accept seeing the expressionless man smile.

"Yes, I've never seen Father smile either. It was so scary. I thought I'd done something wrong again. Thank goodness, thank goodness." Hinata was still shaken, patting her little chest over and over as though she had seen a demon. It seemed the little beauty Hinata had been disciplined quite harshly.

Nothing happened that night, and Issui and Hinata fell asleep amid sweet dreams. (Note: Don't get any dirty ideas. They simply slept in separate rooms. Besides, even if they wanted to do anything dirty, they couldn't.)

Early the next morning, Issui and Hinata got up and ate breakfast together. Their simple, warm life satisfied them both. Issui was content to have Hinata's company, while Hinata was content to have a companion and no longer be the lonely young lady of a great clan. With Issui's arrival, the joys of childhood had warmed her lonely heart, and she had someone to share her feelings with.

"Issui, Hinata, whatever you do, don't wander around after school this afternoon. Come straight home and don't play with anyone. Konoha hasn't been very safe lately," Hiashi said seriously to the two of them as they were about to leave.

"Yes, Uncle." "Yes, Father." Issui and Hinata nodded.

At that moment, Issui's heart was finally no longer calm. Could that event be about to happen? In the end, the Uchiha could hardly escape the calamity of their clan's destruction. Poor Sasuke, poor Itachi, poor Uchiha—the clan was destined to be cursed. With powerful Kage-level ninja such as Obito Uchiha and Madara Uchiha, the Akatsuki, and the schemes of Danzo in Konoha's shadows, Konoha faced troubles within and threats without. The peaceful village would be peaceful no longer.

After leaving the Hyuga Clan's gates, Issui and Hinata headed straight for the Ninja Academy.

"Today I'll teach everyone techniques for refining Chakra. As everyone knows, the human body has approximately 130 trillion cells, and the Ninjutsu and Genjutsu we ninja use all draw on those cells. Although a ninja's strength isn't judged by the amount of Chakra they have, the amount of Chakra also affects how a battle unfolds. Without enough Chakra, you can't use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. When two opponents are fairly evenly matched in Ninjutsu and other respects, the amount of Chakra they have will determine how the battle goes. Now, let's take a detailed look at Chakra refinement techniques..." Iruka lectured earnestly. To him, the children in this classroom were Konoha's future. Although Naruto's identity reminded him of his parents, who had died in battle, and he found it hard to let go, he knew none of it was Naruto's fault. Naruto was a lot like him as a child, always doing strange things to attract attention. He worked very hard, even if he was never quite clever enough...

The afternoon lesson covered the geography of the Naruto world. Issui listened with great interest. These were things one rarely heard about in the manga or anime, and he paid close attention.

"Tch, he doesn't even know this stuff. How ignorant." Sasuke felt a surge of disdain when he saw Issui listening so attentively. Our Lord Sasuke had known all this stuff for ages. Sasuke had finally discovered his advantage. (Oh, poor kid. You're still in the mood to compete when the Uchiha you're so proud of are about to be wiped out. Amitabha, Buddha will deliver your old man and old lady-your mom and dad-to the afterlife. One last thing: take refuge in Buddha.)

Kiba, Shikamaru, Choji, and Naruto skipped class again, and Iruka lost his temper again, causing an uproar. Lively Konoha still had its charm. This was presumably the Will of Fire: no matter how many hardships Konoha endured, it remained full of warmth and laughter.

After school, Issui and Hinata hurried home without going to the mountain to train.

The destruction of the Uchiha began...

The heavy stench of blood swept out from the Uchiha Clan grounds in every direction. Boundless sorrow and helplessness showed on Itachi's cold face. Seeing his beloved little brother hurry back, he felt a pang of pain.

The stench of blood assailed Sasuke as he returned home in panic, anxiety, and fear. He stared in terror at his parents lying on the floor. Why? Why...?

"What are you doing, Brother~?" Sasuke's voice trembled with fear. Why is Brother attacking me? Isn't he the brother who doted on me more than anyone?

"My foolish little brother, Mangekyō Sharingan..." Itachi said coldly, drawing his brother into a Genjutsu world of his own making...

"Why? Why~?" Sasuke asked as though pleading for help when he came out of the Genjutsu, hoping his brother would give him an explanation.

"To test my limits..."

"Test... your limits... That's all...? Just for that, you did this to everyone..."

"It's important..."

"What kind of... Don't joke around!" Itachi mercilessly knocked Sasuke down when he attacked. After one shock and fright after another, Sasuke cried out and ran away. "It's scary... I'm scared... Don't kill me..."

Itachi chased after him and coldly blocked Sasuke's path.

"This isn't real. Brother wouldn't do this. It's because..."

"I've always played the part of the brother you wanted me to be, to test your limits. You're the opponent I use to test my own limits. You have that potential. Hate me, resent me, and keep trying to surpass me. That's why I let you live, for my own sake. Like me, you have the potential to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. But there's a condition... Kill... your best friend..."

"How could..."

"That's what I did..."

Sasuke suddenly remembered Shisui's murder. Could it be...?

"That's right. That's how I obtained these eyes... In the main hall of Naka Shrine, beneath the seventh tatami mat from the right at the very back, lies the clan's secret. It records why the Uchiha Clan's Dōjutsu exists-its true secret."

"The true... secret..."

"If you awaken your eyes too, then, including me, there will be three people who can use the Mangekyō Sharingan. In that case, sparing you will have some meaning. But right now... you're not even worth killing. My foolish little brother, if you want to kill me, hate me, resent me, and live on in ugliness... Run and keep running. Find a way to survive. Then, one day, when you have these eyes too, come find me..."