The Uchiha who attacked Shimura Danzo at Root wasn't the real Uchiha Itachi.
He was Uchiha Rei.
The real Uchiha Itachi had the strength to fight Danzo, but his heart still clung to Konoha. He was too clearheaded, and too hesitant. Danzo's words had him firmly trapped.
Uchiha Rei was different. He had no such baggage.
He had no attachment to Konoha, and he never took Danzo's manipulation to heart.
As early as his third Sign-in, he had gained the Kurama Clan's Genjutsu ability. With it, he created Genjutsu clones that were nearly impossible to distinguish from the real thing.
They could not only fight, but also drag their enemies into an Illusionary Realm when they dispersed.
Like the First's Wood Style clones, they were far stronger than ordinary clones.
Fortunately, he had used a Genjutsu clone today. Had he come in person, the slightest carelessness could have left him under Kotoamatsukami's control, forced to serve Konoha for the rest of his life. He had no intention of becoming a puppet in some old geezer's hands.
When the Fire Ring on Uchiha Rekka's hand trembled slightly, signaling that it had been activated, his Genjutsu clone slipped into action and infiltrated Root.
"I did what Uchiha Itachi wanted to do but didn't dare." Uchiha Rei stood beneath the shadows of the trees and smiled. "Wasn't he going to become a rogue ninja sooner or later? I just gave him a head start."
Night had fallen over Konoha. Inside Root Base, the sealing talismans lay shattered, and the air reeked of blood. Four bodies were sprawled across the floor.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked toward Danzo, who stood before the corpses.
"You're saying the one who attacked was Uchiha Itachi?"
"It was him." Danzo was covered in wounds, and his face was swollen like a pig's. His voice was low, thick with resentment. "He's... no longer under Konoha's control."
"Hmph." Mitokado Homura let out a cold snort, his gaze icy. "I've always said there isn't a single loyal member of the Uchiha Clan."
"Don't forget," Utatane Koharu said coldly, her voice sharp with reproach. "Root exists to stop things from spiraling out of control. And you, Shimura Danzo, let a young Uchiha turn Root's base upside down."
She paused and glanced at the corpses, her tone growing even sharper. "You command more of Konoha's forbidden techniques and resources than anyone, yet you couldn't control a single rogue ninja. Perhaps it's time you reconsidered your position?"
The muscles in Danzo's face twitched as though he wanted to argue, but in the end, he said nothing.
He knew they were always like this. They only threw accusations around after the fighting was over.
He spoke in a low voice. "Uchiha Itachi wasn't acting alone. He had reinforcements behind him—they were from Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki?" Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow furrowed.
"A... shadowy organization." A cold glint flashed in Danzo's eyes. "It has gathered multiple S-rank rogue ninja. Our intelligence indicates they've operated near the borders more than once. They even infiltrated the Land of Rain before."
"But you didn't even get a scrap of clothing from the enemy," Mitokado Homura sneered. "All you have are a few corpses, and you still dare talk about intelligence? I think it's time to cut Root's funding and spend the money somewhere more 'useful.'"
Utatane Koharu looked at Danzo and chimed in. "Especially when it comes to you."
Danzo's eyes turned cold. The corner of his mouth twitched, but he still said nothing.
"That's enough." Hiruzen Sarutobi finally spoke, his voice hoarse yet authoritative. "The situation is serious. The most important thing now is to find Uchiha Itachi."
He continued.
"From this moment on, Uchiha Itachi is designated an S-rank rogue ninja of Konoha. His position as an Anbu squad leader is revoked. Notify the other great nations and issue a wanted notice."
"We need help from other nations just to hunt down one Uchiha Itachi?" Utatane Koharu scoffed. "You're old, Third Hokage."
The room fell silent. Hiruzen didn't answer. His eyes darkened.
Yes, he was old.
If he were still young, perhaps he could have resolved this crisis alone. But now, the entire village had to be mobilized just to deal with one Uchiha Itachi.
He closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, his gaze was firm.
"This isn't just a failure on Root's part," he said. "It's a crisis for all of Konoha."
"Go," he ordered the Anbu. "Issue the wanted notice immediately."
"He attacked Root and inflicted heavy losses on the village. That's the truth."
He looked toward the entrance to Root's base, where Anbu Ninja were already waiting.
"Go. Distribute them."
Several figures vanished into the darkness with the Body Flicker Technique, becoming a breeze in the night as they leaped across rooftops, cut through the forest, and headed for the borders of the Land of Fire.
Before long, fresh wanted posters were plastered on the village notice boards, at border waystations, and in ninja markets across the land.
[ Konoha Wanted Poster ]
Name: Uchiha Itachi
Identity: Former Anbu squad leader
Crimes: Attacked Root, killed multiple Konoha Ninja, defected from Konoha
Rank: S-rank
Bounty: Not disclosed
Status: Dead or alive; capture preferred
Night hung low, and moonlight poured like water over the streets of Konoha.
"Target spotted," the lead Anbu squad leader said in a low voice.
The other three Anbu members blurred into motion, forming a triangle around him in an instant and sealing off the alley's exit.
"Uchiha Itachi, Konoha has designated you an S-rank rogue ninja. Surrender peacefully. Don't put up a futile resistance."
The squad leader's voice held no emotion beneath his mask. He stared intently at the figure of Uchiha Itachi ahead.
Uchiha Itachi stood in the middle of the encirclement, the Three-Tomoe in his eyes slowly spinning.
"I want to see the Third Hokage," Uchiha Itachi said.
"Put down your weapons first. We'll take you back." The squad leader's voice remained firm, his eyes fixed on Itachi's every move.
Itachi frowned slightly.
By rights, before he "cleansed" the Uchiha, he was still a member of Konoha.
But now, a wanted notice had been issued, and he hadn't even made a move. He hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye to his parents. Why had he become a rogue ninja ahead of time?
His Sharingan glowed red. His gaze shifted slightly, but he suppressed his confusion.
"Stop pretending!" a female Anbu shouted, her voice full of anger and disgust. "You betrayed the village, and you still have the nerve to ask to see the Third?"
"...Who issued the wanted notice?" Itachi's sudden question cut off her tirade.
She froze for a moment, then answered reflexively. "It was... Lord Hokage. The Third signed it himself."
The instant the words left her mouth, an inexplicable pressure rose around them. Her vision began to warp—Genjutsu.
"Genjutsu! Watch out!" The other two reacted instantly and formed Hand Seals.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Two attacks, one cold and one hot, roared toward Itachi amid a thunderous explosion.
But in the next instant, Uchiha Itachi turned into a flock of crows and scattered.
"There!" One of the Anbu Ninja pointed to the top of a telephone pole.
In the moonlight, Uchiha Itachi stood still atop the pole. In his hand, he clutched the wanted poster he had just taken from the female ninja.
He lowered his gaze to the familiar name and portrait on the paper, his brow furrowing.
Uchiha Itachi looked up toward the distant Hokage Building and remained silent for a long while.
Heavy footsteps sounded on the distant streets of Konoha. More Anbu Ninja were closing in fast.
"He's up there!"
"Don't let him get away!"
Itachi's eyes narrowed. He sprang up, stepped onto the telephone pole, and raced toward the edge of the village.
I can't fight them... Not yet.
He moved faster and faster, using the cover of night to finally shake off the Anbu pursuing him.
At last, he leaped onto a towering telephone pole outside the village and came to a stop. Itachi turned to look back toward Konoha. The familiar yet strange village was slowly receding into the distance.
"...What exactly happened in the village?" he murmured.
Suddenly, a voice tinged with amusement came from behind him.
"I didn't know you liked telephone poles so much, Itachi."
Itachi whipped around, but there was no one behind the pole. His eyes narrowed, and he immediately activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Through the Mangekyō's vision, he finally saw the speaker.
Uchiha Rei.
He stood atop a tall tree, his expression calm. The tree he stood on was even taller than Itachi's telephone pole.
"When you set up an ambush a few days ago, I knew we'd have to face each other eventually," Rei said.
"But..." Uchiha Rei smiled, though there was no warmth in it. "I still want to know—why did you try to kill me?"
"You wanted to escape the Uchiha," Itachi said coolly, his tone flat but murderous. "Every Uchiha deserves to die."
"Is that so?" Uchiha Rei raised his head and asked softly. "What about you? You're an Uchiha too."
Itachi didn't answer. His gaze sharpened.
Tsukuyomi activated!
A Crimson World suddenly unfurled.
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