I'm Not as Noble as Itachi

"Konoha's suppression and exclusion of the Uchiha over the years had given the Uchiha High Council thoughts of rebellion.

Those of you who weren't qualified to attend the secret gatherings at Naka Shrine probably didn't know that.

But in truth...

The relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha...

Had reached its freezing point.

To preserve peace in the shinobi village, Itachi had willingly become the executioner for Konoha's higher-ups, drawing his blade against the Uchiha clansmen."

Ingetsu explained patiently.

Everyone was utterly devastated.

A mist clouded Izumi's eyes as scorching tears streamed down her face. She sobbed and asked:

"What about you?"

In her memories, Ingetsu had been gentle and kind, fond of smiling, always a serious and responsible captain.

Back when she had just graduated from the Ninja Academy and gone on missions with Ingetsu, she had been unfortunate enough to get injured. Ingetsu hadn't abandoned her, carrying her all the way back to Konoha on his back.

Ingetsu responded calmly:

"I'm not as noble as the Uchiha Itachi you all placed your hopes in, able to raise his blade against his own clansmen while still claiming lofty reasons like protecting his loved ones, serving the greater good, or protecting Konoha.

I don't care about peace in the shinobi village.

Those who die by my blade were bound to die tonight.

It was merely a matter of sooner...

Or later.

And all I wanted was to survive in the shinobi world!

However...

Since I borrowed their lives, I naturally had to do something for the Uchiha as well.

I don't like owing people favors, which is why you're able to stand here now."

At that moment, within the Uchiha Compound, Itachi's butcher's blade was claiming the lives of one Uchiha civilian after another.

The piercing screams and cries grew ever more deafening, and all of Konoha was shrouded in gloom.

"Hahaha!" Uchiha Tamio suddenly burst into hearty laughter and shouted, "I knew I was right! Big Brother Ingetsu wasn't slaughtering our clansmen—he was helping them escape this hellish sea of suffering!"

He called Ingetsu captain in front of outsiders.

In private, he called him Big Brother.

The others all looked at Tamio strangely. After this bastard's interruption, their grief was instantly thrown into disarray.

But Tamio himself was a lunatic.

His emotions were extremely unstable.

The reason he could carry out missions, aside from awakening the Three Tomoe, was primarily Ingetsu's guarantee.

Ingetsu glanced at Tamio. His Mangekyo spun, temporarily removing the Yachihoko mark from Tamio's eyes.

Tamio's parents had died in the Third Shinobi World War, leaving him mentally unstable from childhood. Abandoned by his clansmen, he had been forcibly sent to the Hospital Psychiatric Department at Konoha Hospital.

Later, the kind-hearted original owner had rescued him and raised him.

Tamio had essentially obeyed the original owner in everything, trusting him without condition.

Having regained his freedom, Tamio was incomparably excited. He quickly moved behind Ingetsu, protecting his Big Brother as both a team member and bodyguard, just as he had when serving under Ingetsu before.

"Captain Ingetsu! Let us leave—I'll go stop that guy!"

Uchiha Nanpu's eyes had long since turned red. Itachi's actions had driven him to howl in anguish, because his elderly parents were in the compound.

The team members beside Nanpu were also pleading bitterly.

Most of their relatives lived in the compound's central district, and Itachi was already close to reaching that area.

"You can't stop him on your own. Even with me, it wouldn't be enough." Ingetsu's gaze turned toward the compound again, as though waiting for something.

At that moment, a Police Force Member, clinging to a sliver of hope, stammered:

"The Uchiha only... only intended to seize power. They haven't taken any real action yet. Considering how the Uchiha have shed blood for the shinobi village all these years, the village's higher-ups shouldn't just stand by and do nothing, right?"

"W-We still have Clan Head Fugaku."

"Clan Head Fugaku wouldn't let Itachi run wild like this, would he?"

They did not believe their own words even as they spoke them.

Ingetsu rose to his feet, raised a hand, and pointed toward the forest beyond the Uchiha Compound's perimeter. Indifferently, he said:

"Members of the Root Organization are gathering over there. Take a guess—why are they holding their positions?

The slaughter has been going on for five minutes. Why hasn't the Hokage's direct ANBU shown the slightest sign of movement?"

What about the other clans?

Where was Clan Head Fugaku?

Couldn't they hear those screams?

Before Itachi's butcher's blade and the Uchiha clansmen's screams fell silent, the Hokage—even Konoha's upper ranks—would not appear.

Your Clan Head Fugaku did nothing.

He was an accomplice too!"

Those who had spoken earlier fell silent.

These Uchiha police officers, removed from the site of the massacre, stood here like outsiders and watched everything unfold before them.

Ingetsu was right.

This was a one-sided massacre, with Konoha's upper ranks indulging Itachi. Tonight, no one would come to save the Uchiha.

But what truly drove them to despair was that, at a time like this, their clan head had done absolutely nothing.

"Big Brother, let's run!"

Uchiha Tamio suggested.

Since they couldn't win, they should run first. They could become rogue ninjas, wait until the time was right, then come back and kill their way in!

The others looked at Tamio again, feeling that the madman had a point.

Those Uchiha who had survived—never mind Itachi, even Konoha would not let them go!

With the atmosphere for a clan extermination already set to this extent, if they did not die, Danzo would help them kill themselves.

"Captain Ingetsu, you should run. My family is all in the compound. I can't abandon them and live on alone."

Uchiha Nanpu spoke bitterly.

He was an honest man.

His parents had died on missions years ago, and he had been raised by his grandfather and grandmother. He could not leave the elderly couple behind and flee for his life.

Just as Ingetsu was about to speak, another mission prompt appeared in his mind.

[Side Quest]: Rescue

[Conditions]:

1. Rescue people within the Uchiha Compound.

[Reward]:

100 cubic meters of Storage Space.

Ingetsu frowned slightly.

Rescue people...

He had neither the ability nor the inclination to do that.

However, the mission did not specify how many people he had to save. As long as he rescued someone within the Uchiha Compound, he could obtain the reward. The nine people behind him had been tricked over before the mission appeared, so that probably did not count as rescuing them.

As for the reward of 100 cubic meters of Storage Space, it would certainly be more convenient to use than a Storage Scroll.

Ingetsu formed a plan. There really was one person in the Uchiha Compound worth trying to save.

Previously, his strength had been insufficient.

But now...

He had already achieved his goal.

Just moments ago.

The Shadow Clone he had deliberately sent to the compound had stumbled into carrying out this mission. It simply was not yet time to complete it.

He would save this surprise for Itachi!

And add another measure of security for his own survival.

At that moment, an unusual disturbance, imperceptible to ordinary people, came from the forest outside the Uchiha Compound.

Ingetsu's eyes lit up. The moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived. He immediately rose from the edge of the cliff and swept his gaze across the eight people standing in a line.

Their breakdown was written all over their faces.

"I can't save your families from Itachi and the others, but I can take you to get revenge now!

After tonight—

your grandfathers and grandmothers, parents, brothers, and sisters will sleep forever in this land that betrayed them.

But you will be reborn!

So that one day, you can trample Konoha flat!"

After saying that, Ingetsu manipulated the eight men's Chakra and used the Transformation Jutsu, turning them into members of three Root Organization squads.

Seeing this, Tamao also transformed to look like Big Brother and the others.

He was a little unhinged, but he was not stupid. Naturally, he knew what Big Brother was about to do!

Ingetsu led the nine of them around the Uchiha Compound. Under the cover of night, they blended into the Root squads heading toward the edge of the compound.

"This is the end, and also the beginning!"

After saying that, Ingetsu deactivated his Mangekyo, but he could still control the minds and Chakra of the Uchiha police officers around him.

Under Yachihoko's effect, it felt like splitting his focus to control eight external limbs.

Next...

He had to make the final move before defecting from Konoha. This was also the key to whether he could truly escape Konoha.

Ingetsu was going to assassinate:

"Shimura Danzō!!"

But Ingetsu only had around fifteen minutes to act. Once Itachi finished clearing out the Uchiha Compound, Sarutobi Hiruzen and his direct ANBU subordinates would come rushing over. When that happened, all ten of them would inevitably die in Konoha.

Ingetsu was willing to take such a massive risk. Naturally, it would be best if he could kill Danzō, but if he could not, he still had to take something important from him.

This was the last thing he had to do

before leaving the village!

PS: Updates are stable every day. There will be mass updates after release; I will not drop this novel. The protagonist kills decisively, will not be abused, and will break up CPs. I'll make it as satisfying as possible.

When I say defection, I mean actual defection.

No dragging things out.

Lastly, please read through to the latest page every day, and please vote with recommendation tickets to help this new author make it onto the Sanjiang list!