Notifying Fugaku Uchiha to Come to the Hokage Building to Pick Up People

The nights when the blood moon hangs in the sky always startle me awake.

My fingers unconsciously traced the scar over my left eye, where phantom pains from burned chakra lingered. The memorial stone glowed a pale, eerie white under the moonlight, the name Obito soaked by the night dew, looking exceptionally clear.

Whenever I fall into memories, that hellish night two years ago always breaks through the gates of my mind.

Konohagakure was burning.

Nine crimson tails swept across the sky, and a chakra hurricane tore away half of the Hokage Rock. Anbu members, masked, leaped through the ruins, their uniforms ripped by countless shards of rock. Women's screams pierced the thick smoke; when Might Guy and I rushed into the collapsing buildings, we only managed to pull out half a severed arm...

"To the shelters!" I roared at the survivors, my voice crushed by the Nine-Tails' roar. A little girl clutching a charred doll ran past me, only to be crushed into a paste by a falling beam in the next second. Warm blood splattered on my face, dripping down my chin onto my trembling fingertips.

A golden flash tore through the night sky.

The Nine-Tails' pupils suddenly contracted into a Three Tomoe shape, so conspicuous it rivaled the full moon beside it...

Under the sunlight.

Kakashi let out a deep breath, feeling a burning pain, like fire scorching his left eye beneath his forehead protector.

On that day, too many ninja had died in the village. Those who lived hated the Nine-Tails, but most of them hated the Uchiha even more.

Because the Three Tomoe in the Nine-Tails' eyes were too obvious!

Coupled with some people secretly fanning the flames, the Uchiha Clan found it increasingly difficult to get by in the village.

From then on, many people in the village targeted the Uchiha, just like this Genin boy before him.

His attitude represented the attitude of most people in Konohagakure.

"You're the ones who made the Nine-Tails attack the village, right? Everyone in the village says the Uchiha Clan made the Nine-Tails attack. Because your clan is cunning, you definitely won't catch the real culprit, but the culprit must be among the Uchiha. The evidence is--even Lord Hokage suspects you, which is why they gathered you all at the edge of the village."

"This matter isn't something you can just dismiss by saying you didn't do it."

"The Uchiha Clan are our enemies. That means you killed our loved ones, and you are the enemies we should hate."

Faced with Izumo Tenma's questioning, the three Jonin remained silent.

"Hey, you've been rambling on and on since just now, you're so noisy!"

A girl suddenly shouted, her voice even louder than Tenma's excited outburst.

She was another companion in this squad.

Her name was Inoha Shinji.

She was Tenma's classmate.

"You were always pestering Itachi at school, and now you've become a Genin, how long are you going to hold onto such a petty grudge?"

"Shut up! You're just a woman, and you're so noisy! Speaking of which, I've been bothered by it since school, your accent is too heavy, I can't understand half of what you're saying."

"I only came to Konohagakure three years ago, I can't help it!"

Shinji pouted and shouted.

"Women become gentle when they meet handsome guys."

"W-why would I defend Itachi for something like this? Speaking of which, he's only seven years old, and I'm thirteen! He's not even a viable romantic partner!"

"Romance has nothing to do with age!"

The topic of their argument gradually became strange, and in the end, it was just the childish nature of youth.

"That's enough."

Just then, Qing Xuan, who had been sitting there the whole time, finally spoke.

As the center of attention, his opening words immediately drew everyone's gaze. Even the idle bystanders sitting nearby were eager to hear what this "bad guy" had to say.

Qing Xuan certainly didn't disappoint; his next sentence deeply shocked everyone.

"As a fellow member of the same squad, I fully agree with your hatred towards me!"

"Wh-what?" Tenma was completely stunned. He never expected Itachi to say something like that to him.

"Huh? Itachi, as a team, we..."

Youqi couldn't sit still. He quickly tried to correct Itachi's flawed thinking, but just then, the other party's voice rang out again.

"Then I can rest assured!"

Under the midday sun, the leaves rustled in the wind, a soft warmth washing over him.

Qing Xuan stood in the shade of the trees, dappled light filtering through the leaves onto his face.

He turned his head to look at the increasingly bewildered Tenma, his face full of seriousness. "In that case, if one day I die in front of you on a mission, you won't feel sad, right?"

Tenma's gaze froze. He was completely stunned, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, but he couldn't utter another harsh word.

How could a pure-hearted boy of only twelve or thirteen years old withstand such sophisticated emotional manipulation?

Even Youqi, a man in his twenties, was so shocked he couldn't speak.

Instead of defending himself against accusations, he was considering his teammate's feelings first. What a noble quality!

Are you serious, Itachi? Youqi thought, a surge of emotion welling up in the soft-hearted Jonin uncle at this moment.

"Tenma!"

He reached out and placed his hand on Tenma's head, saying with a solemn expression.

"This is Itachi's resolve!"

"Itachi's personality is as gentle as ever!" Koko, who had already transformed into a fangirl, chimed in her support.

"Damn it! I get it."

Only then did Tenma finally snap out of his daze. He forcefully shook off the hand on his head, muttering with an annoyed tone, but his gaze kept darting away from Qing Xuan, refusing to meet his eyes.

The Uchiha were, after all, only suspects.

Thus, the originally fractured team became harmonious at a visible speed.

"Well said!"

Just then, a deep voice suddenly came from the training ground. Three figures had appeared behind Qing Xuan at some point.

The one in the lead was tall and slender. A white monkey mask concealed her face, and her eyes, visible through the mask's pupils, were fixed on Qing Xuan. A voice, tinged with suppressed laughter, reached everyone's ears.

"Uchiha Qing Xuan, you're busted. Come with us!"

The entire training ground fell silent, followed by three gasps in succession.

"Uchiha Qing Xuan?"

"Huh?"

"Where are they taking Itachi?"

Everything happened too suddenly, leaving the entire Youqi class confused.

"Senior!"

Seeing the female Anbu grab Qing Xuan by the collar of his back and about to drag him away, Kakashi couldn't help but step forward.

He looked at the Anbu member, who was the captain of his own Anbu squad and also the daughter-in-law of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Tsukikage.

"May I ask what's going on?"

The other party had already noticed Kakashi's presence. She didn't hide anything from her colleague, shaking Qing Xuan, who was dangling limply in the air, and said, "You'll have to ask this kid himself. Lord Hokage has something he wants to ask him."

Then, as if she thought of something else, "Since you're here, could you trouble yourself to notify Fugaku Uchiha? After all, this matter also concerns his son, Itachi Uchiha."

"The Third Hokage said to have him come to the Hokage Building to pick up the person."