Sasuke Retrieval Battle

On the streets of the Uchiha Clan Compound.

Two groups faced off at the street corner.

One side was Root, clad in black, their eyes devoid of emotion.

The other side was the Uchiha Clan's guard, wearing the Clan Crest, their gazes defiant like flames.

Their common objective.

Uchiha Sasuke, currently being protected by Uchiha Rei behind him.

Root spoke first, their tone flat: "By order of Danzo, we are to take Uchiha Sasuke for special custody."

The words were like blades aimed directly at Sasuke, the Root ninja's eyes locked onto the young Uchiha like a hawk.

Uchiha Sasuke instinctively hid behind Uchiha Rei, his hands tightly gripping his clothes.

The boy knew clearly that at this moment, the only one who could truly protect him was the older brother before him, who claimed to be "scared" yet had kicked away the Root captain.

"You want to snatch Uchiha Sasuke?" a cold voice rang out. "We Uchiha will not agree."

Uchiha Fujin slowly stepped forward. He was tall, one of the strongest in the clan, and a core figure of the Uchiha Hawk Faction.

"Thank you for blocking Root's attack for us," he nodded to Uchiha Rei. "Now, we will take Sasuke back to see his father, Uchiha Fugaku."

Uchiha Rei asked calmly, "Where is the Clan Head? I will take Sasuke there."

"I'm sorry," Uchiha Fujin's expression changed, his tone turning cold. "This is a secret of our Uchiha Clan; outsiders have no right to know."

"You just thanked me, and now I'm an outsider?" Uchiha Rei's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.

"Sasuke cannot be handed over to you!" Fujin roared. "Don't think that defeating one Root squad makes you arrogant in front of the Uchiha Clan."

With a wave of his hand, the Uchiha guards behind him drew their weapons. Cold light flashed everywhere, their spears pointed directly at Uchiha Rei.

At the same time, the Root ninja were not to be outdone. They stepped forward calmly, also drawing their weapons. In an instant, the two forces were at each other's throats, both unexpectedly turning their target towards Uchiha Rei.

Uchiha Rei lowered his head and smiled, but there was no mirth in his eyes.

He knew that these people were all after Itachi.

As early as during the day, he had subtly planted a Genjutsu Mark on Uchiha Itachi. As long as he wished, he could track Itachi's whereabouts at any time.

And these two groups could only make a fuss over a child.

Using Uchiha Sasuke as bait to force out the brother who had betrayed the clan.

"You are truly terrifying," Uchiha Rei said softly. "You shout 'Clan' and 'Konoha', but your eyes only see profit."

Sasuke looked up and said hesitantly, "If it doesn't work, then hand me over to Uchiha Fujin... he'll take me to see Father."

Uchiha Fujin's eyes lit up, the corners of his mouth curling up. He took a step forward, reaching out to pull Sasuke away.

"Sasuke!" Uchiha Rei was about to call out when he saw the Root ninjas attack simultaneously. A cold glint flashed, and the Root faction, unwilling to be outdone, intended to snatch the boy.

"Wind Style: Wind Scythe Bullet!"

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

Ninjutsu intertwined, and in an instant, the explosive shockwaves kicked up dust from the street. Wind and fire clashed, shattering stone pillars by the roadside. The street immediately turned into a miniature battlefield. Both factions were locked in a brief but fierce melee.

And amidst the chaos, a shuriken cut through the smoke and dust, heading straight for Sasuke's chest!

"Sasuke, watch out!" a Uchiha clansman exclaimed.

However, Sasuke was too young and too slow. In that instant, his body was completely unable to dodge.

"Pfft!"

A spray of blood.

Time seemed to freeze. Everyone's movements stopped at that moment.

"Hit...?"

The pupils of the Root and Uchiha elites constricted.

If Sasuke were truly injured, their failure would be more than just negligence. Uchiha Itachi's wrath was enough to level the entire street.

After all, not long ago, Uchiha Itachi had single-handedly cleared out the Root's main base in one night, killing four elite ninjas. Even Shimura Danzō was severely injured, his face swollen like a pig's head.

"Uchiha Rei!"

"You were standing so close, why didn't you block that attack!"

Someone questioned him sternly, but Uchiha Rei did not respond. He just stood there quietly, as if he hadn't heard anything. Just as everyone's hearts sank slightly, suddenly—

"Bang!"

The Uchiha Sasuke, who had been hit by the hidden weapon, instantly exploded, turning into a broken log that then dissipated into the air.

"Substitution Technique?!"

As everyone was stunned, before they could react, Uchiha Rei, who had been standing beside Sasuke, also turned into an afterimage and scattered with the wind.

Only then did everyone realize that they had been talking to a pile of afterimages within a genjutsu all along!

"When did... there wasn't any Chakra fluctuation at all."

"Are we talking to the air?"

For a moment, anger and humiliation intertwined, and both groups were completely ignited, their fury burning, Ninjutsu flying.

The Uchiha clansmen and the Root squad completely engaged in combat.

Within Konohagakure, undercurrents had long been surging. This was not the first time clansmen had clashed with the village's higher-ups. Although it hadn't escalated into a full-blown confrontation, the small-scale conflicts were like a prairie fire, capable of engulfing the entire Konohagakure at any moment.

And at this moment, deep within the Uchiha Clan Compound, far from the disputes, in a quiet courtyard, Uchiha Rei appeared with the real Sasuke.

His expression was calm as he led Sasuke through several stone corridors, finally arriving at a central courtyard.

Under the moonlight, a woman stood quietly. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her cold, beautiful features hid a hint of weariness. She was Uchiha Yue.

Uchiha Rei's contemporary.

"Mission accomplished," Uchiha Rei smiled, unable to hide a sense of relief in his eyes. "It was more troublesome than I imagined. For you, I refused Danzo's orders."

"You... what did you say?" Uchiha Yue was stunned, her ear tips heating up, and a blush quickly spread across her face.

She wasn't unaware of Danzo's status.

He was a high-ranking official in Konohagakure whom even the Clan Head feared. And he, Uchiha Rei, had chosen to oppose such a person because of her?

"Are you crazy..." she murmured softly, but the tremor in her eyes couldn't be hidden.

"What are you thanking me for?" Uchiha Rei chuckled lightly, a hint of teasing in his eyes. "I thought you'd say 'You're always so unreliable' and scold me again."

"I would not..." Uchiha Yue's lips twitched, her anger mixed with shyness. "You're always like this, doing so much but refusing to say a single serious word."

She bit her lip gently, then looked up, her gaze carrying a touch of stubbornness, and also a touch of tenderness. "Remember, even if the entire village opposes you, I will stand by your side."

Uchiha Rei was taken aback for a moment, his gaze softening. He looked at her face, recalling past events, and some words reached his lips, but in the end, he only said softly, "With you here, I can rest assured."

"Are you injured?" Uchiha Yue asked softly, her eyes gentle, a hint of imperceptible concern in her tone.

"Not injured, just poisoned a little. You know that."

"Don't be so reckless next time," Uchiha Yue said softly. "If you hurt, I will be in pain."

Towards the end, her voice became almost inaudible. She avoided his gaze, as if afraid he would hear, or perhaps intentionally leaving a clue.

Uchiha Rei smiled, not exposing her, but changing the subject. "Where is the Clan Head now?"

"He is not at home," Uchiha Yue replied, her expression also becoming serious.

"As expected..." Uchiha Rei snorted coldly. "Uchiha Fujin did indeed lie to me earlier. Some people in the Uchiha clan are starting to get restless."

"Lord Rei, what should we do next?" Uchiha Sasuke, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.

His voice still held a boyish innocence, but his gaze now carried a newfound determination.

He had seen the recent crisis and taken it to heart.

Uchiha Rei had already left a deep impression on him.

Uchiha Yue gently patted Sasuke's head. "There are still many in the clan loyal to the Clan Head. Sasuke, leave him to me. I will protect him completely."

"Also..." Uchiha Rei looked at Uchiha Yue, his expression suddenly turning serious. "Uchiha Izumi, have you seen her?"

As soon as he spoke, Uchiha Yue's expression visibly faltered, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes.

"Why would you suddenly mention that little girl... I haven't seen her in a long time either."

Her tone grew colder, her eyes slightly lowered, and her lips pressed tightly together. Clearly, she didn't like that name much.

But Uchiha Rei didn't notice her emotional shift. He simply said solemnly, "Izumi and Sasuke must both be protected. They are the future hope of the Uchiha."

With that, he didn't linger any longer, turning to leave. Uchiha Yue subconsciously reached out a hand, then withdrew it, only able to watch his retreating figure disappear into the distance.

The moonlight was like water. She stood quietly, her gaze unwavering.

"Fool..." she murmured softly. "You never give me a second glance, yet you're always the first to step forward in the most dangerous moments."

She gently pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart race.

It turned out that, at some unknown point, she had already hidden that feeling deep within her heart.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Rei's Genjutsu clone quietly departed the Clan Compound.

His true body, however, was heading straight for another key figure in the Uchiha family: Uchiha Rekka.