Night of the Uchiha Clan Extermination

"Hahahahaha, I laugh at Danzo's recklessness and the Third Hokage's lack of wisdom. If they had ambushed me with an Anbu squad here, I would have surely died, hahahaha..."

Uchiha Jie's wild laughter echoed through the primeval forest on the outskirts of Konohagakure. Today was a special day for him, and for the entire Konoha Ninja Village.

It was simply a good day for one to stride towards a bright future, and a day where shit hit the fan for the other.

"A month ago, Root's surveillance around the Uchiha compound became increasingly intense."

"Half a month ago, the Third Hokage suspended my team's missions, telling me to return to the clan and focus on my training to prepare for my Special Jonin promotion."

"A week ago, even the Anbu directly under the Hokage appeared near the clan grounds."

Uchiha Jie stopped at the foot of a giant tree, glancing towards the village center as he muttered about recent events.

"Today is the Night of the Uchiha Clan Extermination. The Anbu and Root have mobilized almost all their personnel, completely surrounding the clan grounds. There are also ninjas from the Hyuga Clan who have sided with Danzo, using their Byakugan for surveillance day and night."

"When sunset comes and the slaughter begins, the Barrier Team will be drawn away to the clan grounds, making Konoha's sensory barrier weakest. That will be the perfect time to leave Konohagakure."

"The last Anbu patrol before sunset has already left. All that's left to do now is wait, hahaha."

As he muttered, Uchiha Jie burst into laughter again. Anyone would be unable to resist laughing heartily when on the verge of freedom.

"You haven't laughed this happily in a while, Brother Jie."

"Uchiha Itachi..."

An unexpected voice sounded from not too far away. Uchiha Jie didn't need to turn around to know the identity of the newcomer; he was too familiar with it.

"You're not being one of the main characters in tonight's bloody night, and instead you're patrolling the barrier's edge?" Uchiha Jie's voice was filled with surprise.

Tonight was the Night of the Uchiha Clan Extermination, and Uchiha Itachi was supposed to be the main character. He had made all his preparations, just waiting for the right moment to fly as high as he pleased and leap as far as he wished.

Yet, here he was.

"Lord Hokage is waiting to present you with your Special Jonin certificate. Why would you want to leave Konoha?" Uchiha Itachi didn't answer directly, his eyes fixed on the figure with his back to him. Looking at the Gunbai embroidery on the black robe, he spoke word by word.

"Hmph, are you going to place the Special Jonin certificate on my grave?" Uchiha Jie gave a dry chuckle, his hands hidden in his robe clenching tightly.

He didn't want to turn around, and he didn't dare to. Uchiha Jie knew his place; in a direct confrontation, he was far from a match for his clan cousin. His strengths had never been in direct combat, let alone facing those Mangekyo Sharingan eyes.

"Uchiha Jie! Are you going to become a rogue ninja!"

Itachi's voice suddenly rose. He had already made his decision, but before he could stand before his parents, just looking at the back of his Chunin cousin's head made him lose control of his emotions.

Uchiha Jie was clearly the most popular Uchiha in the village, gentle, courteous, and elegant. He treated both ninjas and civilians with a warmth like a spring breeze.

He also smiled more, sometimes laughing heartily, sometimes chuckling softly, his eyes narrowing into slits, making others laugh along with him.

"Hahahaha." Uchiha Jie chuckled softly. "There's only one person who will become a rogue ninja, and that's you, Uchiha Itachi."

"You will become the most brutal and terrifying rogue ninja in Konoha's history. You will slaughter your entire clan, from the elderly to infants, from your lover to your parents."

"Oh, right, you don't have a lover." He continued. "You'll wear a mask, stand tall, and tell Hiruzen Sarutobi at the top of your lungs that your mission is complete."

"Then, you'll lightly carve a scar on your forehead protector with a kunai, with tears in your eyes, take on a new mission, and take one last look at the Hokage Rock in the sunlight before bidding farewell to this village."

Feeling the burning gaze from behind, Uchiha Jie remained motionless, quietly finishing his words.

"Then you'll hide in a dark corner, clutching Konoha's wanted poster for you, an S-rank rogue ninja, while tightly pressing the cold forehead protector to your chest, filled with pride."

"You!"

"How great, isn't it? An arrogant clan and a village were bound to clash, and you prevented it all from happening. But..."

"Uchiha Itachi, what was the price?"

"Hahahahahaha!"

The tomoe in Uchiha Itachi's eyes spun wildly as his Mangekyo Sharingan appeared. He then saw that Uchiha Jie was no longer in his original spot. Only a pathetic recording device remained in the center of a pile of scrolls, playing its final laughter before melting into a wisp of smoke in the black flames of Amaterasu.

"You are just like your father, weak and pathetic, hahahahahaha."

It was just a small illusion, and it couldn't delay Uchiha Itachi for long, nor could it allow Uchiha Jie to escape far. His Body Flicker Technique was not proficient, only capable of short-distance dodges. As for the pinnacle of Flying Thunder God Technique, he was an Uchiha, so the forbidden jutsu inscribed in the Scroll of Seals was something he couldn't even touch.

On the contrary, Uchiha Itachi's speed was much faster. As a close friend of Body Flicker Shisui, his Body Flicker Technique was second to none. After fleeing along Konoha's barrier for only a short while, he caught up again.

This time, it was a direct confrontation. Itachi finally saw Uchiha Jie's scarlet Sharingan.

Normally, the Sharingan development of Uchiha clan members wouldn't differ much between their eyes. However, Uchiha Jie was an anomaly. His left eye, with a Single Tomoe, was fitted with a gold-rimmed monocle, making him look like a refined scoundrel. The Three Tomoe in his other eye slowly rotated.

Despite possessing the powerful Mangekyo Sharingan, Uchiha Itachi still didn't dare to underestimate his cousin. He had already been tricked once, and his emotions were unknowingly on the verge of an outburst.

The light in the forest had already taken on a golden hue. It was late, and he had to end this quickly.

"What was that black flame just now..."

Uchiha Jie, who wanted to say more to buy some time, suddenly found the surroundings had changed without him noticing. He was hanging on a foul-smelling wooden cross, surrounded by a graveyard.

The dim light cast the surroundings in red, and the oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe.

"Hmm, I haven't seen this place before either." He struggled a few times but couldn't move at all.

"However, it looks very much like a burial ground exclusive to the Uchiha..."

This was Tsukuyomi Space. Itachi watched Uchiha Jie's mouth but wasn't in the mood to explain. He simply took out a kunai and shuriken, silently carrying out a three-day, three-night torture.