Inside the Shadow Space.
"We're back!"
Uchiha Izumi called out as soon as she returned.
"Big Sister Izumi!"
"Welcome back!"
Several little ones immediately came running over from afar.
"Look what I bought for you!"
Uchiha Izumi handed the basket in her hands to the children.
"Wow! Meat!"
"And apples!"
"And dango! Thank you, Big Sister Izumi!"
"So many things... Huh? Big Sister Izumi, where did you buy all this? Could it be...?"
Shizuka looked at Izumi, her face full of delighted surprise.
Izumi smiled and shook her head, then reached out and patted her on the head.
"It's temporarily safe outside, but you still can't go out. Arashi—your big brother Arashi—and I are ninjas. We can use the Transformation Technique to avoid detection, but you can't, so the outside world is still very dangerous for you."
She really wanted to let the children go outside for some fresh air, but there was no getting around it.
Unless they found a reliable way to conceal their identities, sending these children out would only put them in danger.
There were eight people Uchiha Arashi had rescued, including Uchiha Izumi and seven children.
Their names were Uchiha Shizuka, Uchiha Ayatsuki, Uchiha Kyoko, Uchiha Dan, Uchiha Kei, Uchiha Hidehiko, and Uchiha Shin.
Three girls and four boys, all under ten. They were the most promising children Uchiha Arashi had been able to reach.
"Oh..."
The little ones pouted, their faces full of disappointment.
The Shadow Space was actually quite comfortable.
It had houses and farmland, and the temperature stayed constant.
The biggest differences from the outside were that there was no sun, and the space had boundaries. Walk far enough, and you would run into an invisible wall, leaving very little room to move around.
"That's why you need to study hard."
Uchiha Arashi came over. "I found you some paper and pens. Izumi will teach you how to read and use ninjutsu. Once you've learned the Transformation Technique and can maintain it for more than half an hour at a time, I'll take you outside for some fresh air. Don't think that's too harsh. You all have an important mission ahead of you."
At that, Uchiha Arashi paused, his eyes sweeping over the seven children.
"Your parents, friends, and clan members were killed by Itachi and Konoha working together. I didn't save you so you could live in comfort..."
"I know! We're all avengers! When we grow up, we'll avenge our dead parents and relatives by taking revenge on Konoha!"
Before Arashi could finish, Uchiha Shizuka suddenly shouted.
The boys and girls, whose faces had been filled with all sorts of expressions, now looked solemn.
After such a devastating upheaval, they had already grown up inside. Their childishness had simply shown through for a moment, but their hatred would not fade so easily.
"Good."
There was nothing more to say. Uchiha Arashi smiled and nodded, then handed out the paper and pens.
Izumi shot him a look, probably thinking he had been too blunt.
Arashi didn't think so. Had he been blunt? Good. That was the point.
There was no need to worry that the children wouldn't be able to handle it. Children in the Ninja World matured early. Itachi had been on a battlefield at the age of four, watching the fighting. In Arashi's previous life, a four-year-old could barely wipe his own nose.
Burdened with the hatred of their clan's annihilation, the children had to mature as quickly as possible. Otherwise, their futures would be even more miserable. They might as well have died that night.
While Uchiha Arashi and Uchiha Izumi were teaching the children ninjutsu and helping them grow in secret inside the Shadow Space,
in the Hokage's office,
"Has Danzo's situation still not been confirmed?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi set down the documents in his hand, picked up his pipe, took a puff, and asked the ninja before him.
"That's right. Lord Danzo hasn't gone out since that night, so we can't confirm what happened to him."
The one reporting the information was an ordinary member of the Anbu.
After the night of the massacre, Hiruzen Sarutobi had expected Danzo to come discuss how to divide the spoils. But he waited and waited, and Danzo never showed. Hiruzen immediately sensed that something was wrong with him, so he sent people to investigate in secret.
Unfortunately, Danzo was too well hidden. The other Anbu had difficulty infiltrating Root's headquarters, and Danzo hadn't shown his face since the massacre. Even the Anbu couldn't figure out what was going on with him.
"What about Itachi? Have we received any information?"
"Not yet. The Third Squad has been following him in secret. They nearly lost track of him several times. He's very alert."
"Then have them come back. Itachi's been leading them around in circles. He noticed them long ago."
Hiruzen took another puff of his pipe and spoke.
The terms of his deal with Itachi were that he would guarantee Sasuke's safety, while Itachi would infiltrate the organization called "Akatsuki" and gather information for Konoha.
Of course, Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't going to pin all his hopes on Itachi. He had intended to use this opportunity to see if following Itachi's movements could lead them straight to Akatsuki.
It seemed that plan had failed. Itachi was even more cautious than he had imagined.
And with Itachi's strength, if he decided to attack, one Anbu squad wouldn't be enough to keep him from killing them all. There was no point in wasting any more time. They might as well call the squad back and show their goodwill in the process.
"Keep monitoring what the villagers are saying. Don't let things get out of hand. Make sure it stays focused on the Uchiha Clan."
"Understood!"
The Anbu Ninja acknowledged the order. After confirming that the Third had nothing else to say, he vanished.
Only Hiruzen Sarutobi remained in the room. He looked out at the streets of Konoha and let out a quiet sigh.
"Now the village's biggest source of instability is finally gone. Kagami... forgive me. I had no choice."
Elsewhere,
"Still no information?"
In an underground space where not even sunlight could reach, Danzo asked, his face dark.
"Sorry, Lord Danzo. We've searched all of Konoha, but we still can't find any trace of the Masked Man."
Ever since Kotoamatsukami was stolen, Danzo had been acting like a madman, ordering his subordinates to search for the Masked Man.
But the man was far too good at hiding. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't find the slightest trace of him.
"What about Uchiha Itachi? Any new information?"
"No. The Third's people have been following him, but he keeps leading them in circles... We didn't dare get too close."
"Useless! Every last one of you is useless! What good are you..."
Danzo lost it and started cursing them out.
As he raged, Aburame Torune suddenly appeared in the room.
"Lord Danzo, there's something wrong with the Uchiha corpses."
"Hm?"
Danzo, who had been furious just moments before, instantly calmed down.
He turned and went back behind his desk.
"Explain in detail. What's wrong with the corpses?"
Before you continue