As Uchiha Fugaku turned his back on Shimura Danzō and walked step by step toward the Uchiha Clan, he secretly pulled the Great Elder, Uchiha Setsuna, who had met his gaze, into his Genjutsu space.
Uchiha Setsuna, pulled into the Genjutsu space, panicked. He hadn't expected Uchiha Fugaku to be controlled by the Mangekyō Sharingan that Shisui had lost.
He also hadn't expected the gap between the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and the Mangekyō Sharingan to be so vast.
But as the Great Elder of the Uchiha Clan, he was prepared to fight to the death.
"For the glory of the Uchiha Clan!"
When Uchiha Fugaku saw how much Uchiha Setsuna was struggling emotionally, he couldn't keep up the act any longer and burst out laughing.
Uchiha Setsuna understood something from Uchiha Fugaku's laughter.
"Fugaku, you weren't controlled?"
"Of course not. I have the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan."
"How could I be controlled?"
"Besides, I'd already prepared for Danzō to try this. It's not like I didn't know Shisui had gone missing."
After hearing Uchiha Fugaku's explanation, Uchiha Setsuna breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he grew angry. Uchiha Fugaku had fooled their entire clan.
"Fugaku, you bastard—"
Before Uchiha Setsuna could finish, Uchiha Fugaku hurriedly cut him off.
"Don't get worked up. I had my reasons."
"What reasons?"
Uchiha Setsuna was puzzled by Uchiha Fugaku's explanation.
At Uchiha Setsuna's question, Uchiha Fugaku realized the matter of fooling him had blown over, so he began to explain.
"Take the clan members and retreat immediately."
"I'm worried Danzō will be driven to use the Four Symbols Seal and take us all down with him."
Hearing this, Uchiha Setsuna grew anxious.
"Uchiha Fugaku, you bastard! Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"What if—"
"Hey, it's not too late to say it now, is it? Forget the rest. I'll release the Genjutsu."
Uchiha Fugaku couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed at Uchiha Setsuna's words.
To be honest, Uchiha Fugaku had genuinely forgotten. Besides, he hadn't been sure Danzō would come. If he'd said anything too soon and Danzō hadn't shown up, wouldn't that have been awkward?
After releasing the Genjutsu, Uchiha Fugaku continued walking slowly toward Uchiha Setsuna, Kagami Uchiha, and the other elders and clan members.
Watching Uchiha Fugaku approach at a leisurely pace, Uchiha Setsuna thought for a moment, then issued orders to the others.
"Retreat toward the center of the clan."
"Take all the Uchiha nearby with you."
"Take the ordinary clan members too."
Seeing the Uchiha retreat, Danzō grew anxious. He immediately ordered Uchiha Fugaku:
"Uchiha Fugaku, I order you to wipe out the Uchiha Clan at once."
"Use Susanoo to destroy the Uchiha Clan Compound!"
"..."
Hearing Pot King Danzō's voice, Uchiha Fugaku couldn't help laughing to himself.
"You really think you've got me under control?"
"If I weren't trying to stop you from lashing out, would I waste my time putting on this act for you?"
Watching Uchiha Fugaku continue to walk so slowly, Pot King Danzō couldn't help wondering:
"Is he under control or not?"
"Could he be using the Sharingan's abilities to resist Kotoamatsukami?"
"That doesn't make sense."
While Uchiha Fugaku was playing Danzō for a fool, Uchiha Izumi was taking Uchiha Itachi home.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Hearing the knocking, Uchiha Mikoto hurriedly opened the gate to the clan leader's residence, worried.
"Itachi? Izumi?"
"What happened to Izumi?"
At Uchiha Mikoto's question, Uchiha Izumi, who was already nervous, grew even more flustered.
"Oh, Kāsan, Dad Fugaku asked me to bring Itachi home."
????
Uchiha Mikoto was stunned by the "Kāsan." She could only stare blankly at Izumi.
Who am I? Izumi just called me Kāsan?
Under Uchiha Mikoto's gaze, Uchiha Izumi grew even more embarrassed.
"What have I done?"
"Clan Leader Fugaku, honestly! He said, 'I'm leaving Itachi to you,' and even told me to call him Dad."
"I'm doomed. I didn't correct myself, and now I've called the clan leader's wife that too."
Uchiha Mikoto watched Izumi's face grow redder and redder, then looked at Uchiha Itachi in her arms. She seemed to understand what had happened.
Then, with a bang, the gate slammed shut.
????
Now it was Uchiha Izumi's turn to be stunned.
"What's going on? Did Itachi's 'Oh, Tōsan' reject me?"
Just as Uchiha Izumi stood there, holding Uchiha Itachi and utterly bewildered, the gate in front of her opened again.
Uchiha Mikoto stood in the doorway. By now, she understood what had happened.
And she was absolutely delighted by it.
"Izumi, you've worked hard. Come on, come in. Thank you."
"Thank you so much for looking after Itachi."
Uchiha Izumi was bewildered by how quickly Uchiha Mikoto's attitude had changed.
Had I imagined it just now?
Why had Aunt Mikoto's attitude changed so quickly?
Still, Uchiha Izumi chose not to go inside Itachi's home. It was far too late.
"No, no, Aunt Mikoto."
"It's too late. I should head home first, or my parents will start worrying."
Hearing Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha Mikoto let out a regretful sigh.
"All right, then. Izumi, could I take a picture?"
"I've never seen Itachi come home being carried by another girl."
Uchiha Izumi hesitated at Uchiha Mikoto's request.
But when she saw the hopeful look on Uchiha Mikoto's face, she eventually agreed.
"Then go ahead, Aunt Mikoto."
At Uchiha Izumi's answer, Uchiha Mikoto hurried inside to get a camera.
She took a picture of Itachi being carried home in someone's arms.
After taking the picture, Uchiha Mikoto took Itachi from Uchiha Izumi.
"Izumi, would you like me to walk you home?"
"No, no, Aunt Mikoto. I've awakened the Sharingan too, and I won't run into any danger in the clan compound."
Uchiha Mikoto felt a little disappointed at Uchiha Izumi's refusal, but in the end she said:
"Izumi, you don't have to change how you address me. You can call me Ōkāsan, just like you did before."
???
Uchiha Izumi, who was just about to leave, froze when she heard Uchiha Mikoto.
Had I been accepted by Itachi's family? Uchiha Izumi immediately replied to Uchiha Mikoto.
"Yes, Aunt Mikoto."
Seeing that Uchiha Izumi hadn't refused, Uchiha Mikoto hurried to correct her.
"Izumi, it's 'Mikoto Ōkāsan.'"
"Yes, Ōkāsan."
That night, Uchiha Izumi felt happiness had come too quickly. She hadn't even been ready for it.
She just wondered what Itachi would be like tomorrow.
Uchiha Izumi kept thinking about it all the way home, so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even know how she'd gotten there.
Before you continue