After the Massacre, Part 2

"Someone... Get Uchiha Itachi here at once..."

The heavy rain still poured outside the window. Though it was already morning, the sky remained gray and gloomy, eerily similar to the darkness of the previous night.

The Anbu left to carry out his order.

Less than ten minutes later, Uchiha Itachi appeared at the office door. His left arm was in a cast and slung across his chest, and bandages wrapped around his forehead. His face was deathly pale, but his eyes remained calm—calm as a stagnant pool.

"Lord Hokage." Itachi entered and knelt on one knee.

"Get up and sit down." Sarutobi Hiruzen pointed to the chair opposite him. "How are your injuries?"

"They're nothing." Itachi sat down, his back ramrod straight.

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at him and sighed. "Itachi, I have some bad news for you."

Itachi's gaze shifted slightly, but he said nothing.

"Your mother and younger brother... are missing."

Itachi's body visibly stiffened.

"Missing?" His voice was hoarse.

"We couldn't find their bodies while clearing the battlefield. We also asked the Anbu and Root. No one had seen them since the Uchiha Clan was placed under lockdown." Sarutobi Hiruzen paused. "They may have escaped in the confusion, or someone may have taken them."

Itachi remained silent for a long time.

Rain pattered outside. The office was so quiet that the faint crackling of tobacco in the Hokage's pipe could be heard.

"Sasuke... is still alive." Itachi finally spoke, a trace of hope in his voice that even he himself hadn't noticed.

"It's possible." Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't give him a definite answer. "We're still looking."

Itachi fell silent again. He knew what those three words, "it's possible," meant: Sasuke might still be alive, or he might already be dead.

"Lord Hokage didn't call me here just to tell me this, did you?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. "Itachi, despite these unexpected developments, your mission must continue. I won't brand your mother and brother as missing-nin. They'll retain their status as Konoha Ninja. Focus on your mission. I'll have the Anbu look for them."

"What mission?"

"Proceed with the original plan. Infiltrate the organization of that Masked Man you encountered."

Itachi's eyes flickered. "Infiltrate?"

"Yes." Sarutobi Hiruzen stood and walked to the window, turning his back to Itachi. "If that organization sends out powerful people like the Masked Man, it likely has many more fighters of that caliber. I've also recently learned that my former student, Orochimaru, has joined them. I need you to infiltrate the organization and find out what they're planning."

"I understand."

Sarutobi Hiruzen turned around and looked at Itachi. "There's no set duration for this mission. It could last years, or even decades. You'll need to remain undercover in the organization and gather intelligence. When necessary, cooperate with Konoha to strike against them."

"What about Sasuke?" Itachi asked.

"I told you. I'll have people look for him."

"I want your promise, Lord Hokage." Itachi's voice was calm, but his gaze was resolute. "Promise me that Sasuke will be safe."

Sarutobi Hiruzen met Itachi's eyes. After a few seconds of silence, he nodded. "I promise you, in my capacity as Hokage, that Konoha will protect Uchiha Sasuke. Whether or not we find him, as long as he's in Konoha, no one will touch him openly."

"Or in secret."

"...Or in secret." Sarutobi Hiruzen relented.

Itachi stood and bowed. "I'll leave the village at once."

"Already? Your injuries haven't healed."

"They're nothing. The sooner I join Akatsuki, the sooner I can complete my mission."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. "The Anbu will take you out through a secret passage. No one will notice."

Itachi turned and walked to the door. Then he suddenly stopped and asked, his back to Sarutobi Hiruzen, "Lord Hokage, are my mother and Sasuke... really still alive?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't answer.

Itachi waited a few seconds, then opened the door and left.

Two Anbu were waiting outside. They escorted him away, one in front and one behind, until they disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat back down. The tobacco in his pipe had already gone out. He took out more tobacco, filled the pipe, lit it, and drew a deep breath.

"Mikoto, Sasuke..." he murmured. "You'd better really be dead. If you're alive, you'll only make things troublesome."

An hour later, in the Jonin conference room.

The long table was lined with Konoha's Jonin.

Hyuga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, Akimichi Choza, Inuzuka Tsume, Aburame Shikuroo, Yuhi Kurenai, Sarutobi Asuma, Hatake Kakashi... Everyone who could make it had come. Even more had attended than during wartime briefings...

The expressions on their faces varied—some were grim, some bewildered, some angry, and some indifferent. But they all shared one thing: no one spoke.

Sarutobi Hiruzen entered the conference room, followed by Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

Danzo hadn't come. It wasn't appropriate for him to appear in front of everyone right now. The Wood Release and Sharingan in his arm would certainly upset some of the clans, and, more importantly, he had been the one to carry out last night's operation...

"Everyone's here." Sarutobi Hiruzen took the seat at the head of the table and glanced around. "Let's begin."

No one responded.

Sarutobi Hiruzen cleared his throat and began. "I'm sure you all know what happened last night. Something... happened in the Uchiha Clan's district. I've called you here today to brief you on the matter."

Hyuga Hiashi raised his head and looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, his expression almost unnervingly calm. Nara Shikaku folded his hands on the table and lowered his head, lost in thought.

"The Uchiha Clan, tempted by spies from another village, chose to betray Konoha. They planned a military coup to overthrow Konoha's peace and seize the Hokage Position." Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice was steady, as if he were reading from a report.

"After Root discovered this plan, they reported it to me. I immediately sent the Hokage Assistant, Shimura Danzo, to negotiate with the Uchiha Clan's leader and elders in hopes of resolving the matter peacefully. But anti-village sentiment was running high within the Uchiha Clan, and its senior ninja were radical. They rejected a peaceful resolution and insisted on launching a coup."

He paused, then continued. "During this process, Uchiha Itachi—the eldest son of Uchiha Fugaku—disagreed with the Uchiha Clan's senior ninja. Under the influence of the Mangekyō Sharingan, he lost control and slaughtered the Uchiha Clan."

The conference room fell deathly silent.

Not one person present believed what Sarutobi Hiruzen had said. Not one dared to believe it.

The Uchiha Clan had helped found Konoha alongside the Senju Clan and sent its elite to fight in every war Konoha had ever fought. To claim now that they had planned to betray the village? No Jonin could believe that. Even civilians who had long resented the Uchiha because of their control over the Security Force couldn't accept that explanation.

But no one objected.

"To give the Uchiha Clan an explanation and maintain Konoha's stability, we have decided to designate Uchiha Itachi a Konoha S-rank missing-nin. Anyone who encounters him may kill him on sight."

Might Guy couldn't hold back. "Lord Hokage, did Uchiha Itachi slaughter his entire clan by himself? Including the Jonin of the Security Force?"

"The power of the Mangekyō Sharingan is beyond what we can imagine," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied coldly.

Might Guy was about to say more, but Hatake Kakashi tugged at his sleeve, and he fell silent.

"Is there any evidence that the Uchiha Clan was planning a coup?" Sarutobi Asuma couldn't stand watching his father lie so brazenly. To him, the Sarutobi Hiruzen standing before him was nothing like the father he had known when he was young.

"We have a reliable source of intelligence." Utatane Koharu spoke up, answering on Sarutobi Hiruzen's behalf. "The details involve Root's secrets, so we can't disclose them."

Sarutobi Asuma glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen. In the end, he nodded and said no more.

Sarutobi Hiruzen knew none of them believed him, but it didn't matter—

That was the official account. They could believe it or not.

"Also, regarding the Fourth Hokage and the Nine-Tails Incident." Sarutobi Hiruzen looked around the room. "Last night, someone spread rumors that the Konoha High Command had schemed against the Fourth Hokage and that we mistreated his orphan."

"These are complete and utter lies."

He drew a deep breath. "The Nine-Tails Incident was a conspiracy by the Uchiha Clan. They controlled the Nine-Tails and attacked Konoha. The Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to seal the Nine-Tails. We've already investigated and confirmed this."

"Then why wasn't it made public?" one of the Jonin asked involuntarily.

"Because the Uchiha Clan was still in Konoha at the time, and without conclusive evidence, we couldn't make accusations lightly," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied. "Moreover, the Fourth Hokage's orphan, Uzumaki Naruto, is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. We kept his identity secret both to prevent the Fourth Hokage's enemies from coming after him and to protect the identity of the Jinchuriki."

"Then was that the best we could do to protect him—give him such a terrible home and such poor food?" Yuhi Kurenai couldn't help speaking up. She had always admired the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, but she'd never paid attention to Uzumaki Naruto before. She'd only learned about his circumstances last night and had discreetly looked into his life that morning.

"That was his own choice." Sarutobi Hiruzen answered the woman his son liked without changing his expression. "Naruto is stubborn and refuses to accept handouts. We offered him better accommodations, but he turned them down."

Yuhi Kurenai opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but Sarutobi Asuma stopped her with a look. She turned her face away, not wanting to look at Sarutobi Asuma anymore.

Hyuga Hiashi had remained silent throughout. He watched Sarutobi Hiruzen as if he were looking at a stranger. No—not a stranger, but a man who had grown old, become afraid, and changed.

"Next, we'll discuss changes to Konoha's Security Force," Sarutobi Hiruzen continued. "The Uchiha Clan... is no more, so the Security Force must be reorganized. Starting today, the Security Force will merge with the Anbu and come directly under the Hokage's authority. All Konoha Ninja, regardless of their background, may apply to join the Security Force."

That was good news.

The Security Force had once been the Uchiha Clan's private domain. No one else could join, and the Hokage had forbidden others from entering, lest they grow closer to the Uchiha Clan.

Now everyone had a chance.

But no one could bring themselves to be happy.

Everyone knew this change had been built atop hundreds of corpses.

"Finally, I want to emphasize one thing." Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at everyone sternly. "What happened last night is a top-level Konoha secret. No one may disclose it or discuss it in private. Anyone who violates this order will be treated as a traitor to the village."

The conference room fell silent again.

"Meeting adjourned."

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood and left. Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura followed behind him without looking back.

"Power."

That was the word that surfaced in everyone's minds. They shook their heads, rose slowly, and began to leave in small groups.

Hyuga Hiashi was the first to leave, his face livid.

Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Choza walked together in silence.

It was only after they had left the conference room far behind that Yamanaka Inoichi spoke in a low voice. "Shikaku, do you think..."

Nara Shikaku stopped him from continuing. Though they had left the conference room, there were things they could never say aloud. "Follow the Hokage's orders. When you get home, make sure to warn the children not to say anything reckless..."

"Also, increase the training for everyone in the clan, whether they're active ninja or children still in school..."

"You mean..." Yamanaka Inoichi had known Nara Shikaku for years and immediately understood what he meant. "It's only been a few years since the last one ended. Is it going to happen again?!"

"It definitely will." Nara Shikaku gave a bitter smile. He didn't want it to happen either. His own child had only just started school. But some things happened regardless of what people wanted. "Look at that enormous crack in the ground. It's about to become a lake. How could the other villages miss this opportunity, unless they were blind?"

Yamanaka Inoichi looked up at the gloomy sky. The torrential rain still hadn't let up. "This rain is heavier than what we went through in the Land of Rain back then. I wonder how long it'll last this time."

Akimichi Choza patted him on the shoulder. "Let's go. We should explain things to the clan. And don't restrict the others from learning certain techniques anymore. The more they know, the better their chances of surviving. Staying alive is what matters most..."

The three of them went their separate ways and headed home.

Elsewhere, Inuzuka Tsume and Aburame Shikuroo walked together.

"Shikuroo, your insects sensed something last night, didn't they?" Inuzuka Tsume asked.

Aburame Shikuroo was silent for a moment, then answered, "They did."

"Then do you believe..."

"I said they sensed it."

Inuzuka Tsume understood what he meant.

What they had sensed wasn't... what the Third Hokage had said.

But she said nothing and turned to leave.

Hyuga Hiashi returned home to find that the clan elders were all still there. Ever since the incident involving the Uchiha Clan the previous night, they had been discussing what would happen to them and what options they had.

The Hyuga Clan hadn't produced any prodigies in recent years. The Main Family didn't need to go to the battlefield, so its members had long since lost any sense of combat. The Branch Family, meanwhile, had the Caged Bird seal and had lost any desire to fight their way up.

They had all been content to muddle along. When they saw Hyuga Hiashi return from the Hokage Building, they hurried to ask how the meeting had gone.

After he recounted what had happened at the Jonin meeting, the Hyuga Clan's senior members fell silent. They had more or less guessed what the outcome would be, but now that their prediction had come true, they were like ostriches burying their heads in the sand, unwilling to think about anything or get involved.

Hyuga Hiashi remained silent for a long time before speaking. "From today on, all members of the Hyuga Clan's Main Family must strengthen their guards. And as much as possible, stay indoors."

"Is it really that serious?" the third elder of the Main Family asked. He rarely went out himself, but his grandson liked to play in the village.

"The Uchiha Clan is gone. Just as Uchiha Setsuna said, we could be next..."

The third elder's face turned deathly pale, and he didn't dare ask anything more.

"Also, choose some capable members of the Branch Family and teach them the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms." Seeing that everyone had fallen silent, Hyuga Hiashi told them of the decision he'd made on his way home. "If something really does happen, the Hyuga Clan can't just sit back and wait to die."

"Besides Rotation, Twin Lion Fists, and the One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms, choose some other Main Family techniques and teach them to loyal members of the Branch Family. Better to strengthen our own people than let those techniques fall into someone else's hands..." The great elder of the Hyuga Main Family, Hyuga Tendou, considered Hyuga Hiashi's decision for a moment. Once he understood his intent, he added this suggestion.

"Thank you, clan leader and elders..." The elders of the Hyuga Branch Family rose one after another and bowed to them in gratitude.

Hyuga Hiashi nodded, indicating that they could rise. "The Branch Family elders will be responsible for selecting the clan members. Once they've chosen, the great elder can arrange for ninja of the Main Family to teach them. Everything we do is for the Hyuga Clan's survival."

"For the Hyuga Clan's survival..." The elders all nodded, murmuring Hyuga Hiashi's goal to themselves.

Meanwhile, outside Konoha.

The rain still fell. Even after leaving Konoha, the rain above showed no sign of letting up.

Uchiha Naro stood atop Kage Rock, gazing at the village through the curtain of rain.

Three people stood behind him: a woman and two boys. They wore black cloaks and silently watched with Uchiha Naro the Konoha that had abandoned them.

The boy holding an umbrella over Uchiha Naro was none other than Uchiha Shisui, who had already become a vengeful spirit.

Black lines covered his face and body. Pain and hatred constantly radiated from the markings—the Uchiha Clan's wronged souls were reliving their deaths over and over again. They couldn't forget their pain or let go of their hatred.

Uchiha Shisui had to feel all that pain and hatred every moment, until the wronged souls finally let go. Only then would the black markings disappear.

The one who should have borne this burden was Uchiha Itachi, the culprit. But Uchiha Shisui had chosen to bear it himself. He had been the first to trust the Third Hokage and Shimura Danzo. He had influenced Uchiha Itachi to trust them too. He had been the spark that set all this in motion, and he wanted to atone and take on all the sins.

Uchiha Naro saw in Uchiha Shisui the stubborn Buddhist cultivators he had encountered in the World of Kalpa's End.

They had been the same. They thought they could bear the consequences of every wrong and kept forgiving others, only to bring about an even greater calamity.

In Zhang Hongchen's world, people like that were called brainless bleeding hearts.

He didn't understand it, but he supported the choice. After all, with Uchiha Shisui's bleeding heart, he could bear all the Nether Bone Banner's side effects, allowing Uchiha Naro to make better use of it.

As for who the other two were...

"Master, where are we going?" the woman asked, her voice hollow.

"To the capital." Uchiha Naro pointed in the direction of the Capital of the Land of Fire. "We're going to give Konoha another grand gift."

"Master, shouldn't we kill that traitor to the clan?" The other boy stared hatefully at the figure slipping out of Konoha.

"I won't do it." Uchiha Naro shook his head. "That's not my job. It belongs to you—the last member of the Uchiha Clan. Let's go."