Besides the Anbu, who would be taking part in tonight's operation,
the main participants also included Root.
Shimura Danzō had long since made a secret deal with Orochimaru.
With Orochimaru's help, he had successfully transplanted Hashirama Cells.
Tonight was the perfect opportunity for him to seize the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan.
After Itachi leaped away from the Hokage Tower, he did not immediately choose to return to the Uchiha Compound.
Although he had long awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, his strength alone was still insufficient to wipe out the entire Uchiha Clan.
Itachi darted through Konoha's buildings and only stopped after reaching a dense forest to the east.
Five meters directly ahead of Itachi stood a figure clad in black.
The man wore an orange mask that exposed only his left eye.
Even in the dim light of the forest, the red Three-Tomoe Sharingan beneath that left eye could be seen.
He held his hands before his chest and leaned against a tree, looking utterly relaxed.
It was as though he had long anticipated Itachi's arrival and had been waiting here for quite some time.
"I need your help." Itachi's expression was indifferent as he got straight to the point.
"Is that so?" Beneath the orange mask, Uchiha Obito's lips curled into a smile.
"Looks like you've made up your mind?"
Itachi's calm face did not ripple in the slightest as he slowly said,
"If the Uchiha go to war with Konoha, there will be no good outcome. In the end, we can only face the fate of clan extermination."
"If that's the case, then it doesn't matter if I become the executioner."
"At least Konoha's peace can still be preserved."
"Preserve Konoha's peace? Hahahaha~~" Obito suddenly burst into laughter.
What peace was there in this shinobi world? There was only scheming slaughter and endless war.
Obito did not agree with that notion at all, but he did not say much more.
"Helping you won't be a problem, but you must also agree to my previous condition."
Itachi nodded seriously. "I know. Once this is done, I'll join the Akatsuki you established."
"Don't worry. After bearing the crime of slaughtering my entire clan tonight, I'll have nowhere else to go."
"Joining your rogue ninja organization is my only choice. I won't go back on my word."
"Very good. The operation to exterminate the Uchiha begins now." As Obito spoke, a swirling spatial distortion appeared from his left eye.
As the spatial distortion grew increasingly intense, Obito's entire body was drawn into it and vanished.
Itachi did not linger any longer and leaped toward the Uchiha Compound.
You copied a portion of Sharingan Eye Power. Eye Power +36 You copied a portion of jōnin's overflowing Chakra. Chakra +59 You copied a portion of a jōnin's overflowing Taijutsu energy. Taijutsu Energy +53 You copied a portion of a jōnin's Fire Release Chakra experience. Fire Release Ninjutsu Comprehension +63
While Itachi was meeting the Third Hokage, more than a hundred clan members had already gathered in the Uchiha Clan shrine.
Fugaku had also used his Mangekyō Sharingan's ability, "Shatter," to show the clan members the ultimate outcome of the Uchiha rebellion.
Every one of the hundred-plus clan members now wore expressions of sorrow and helplessness.
"Clan Head!! Why? Why are you only telling us this now?"
"Is heaven truly determined to destroy the Uchiha Clan? Is our fate merely to wait for death?"
"If only Shisui were still alive. With his Sharingan ocular technique, there might still be a turning point."
The clan members clamored to ask Fugaku what he planned to do next, while quite a few declared that they would fight Konoha to the bitter end.
"Quiet!! Everyone, wait a moment."
"Mingyou may be the hope that can save our Uchiha Clan."
Fugaku raised his hands slightly, signaling everyone not to panic.
Then he turned toward Mingyou, who had kept his eyes closed the entire time, and asked expectantly, "Mingyou. How is it?"
Your Eye Power has reached the evolution threshold. Begin evolution? Your Chakra has reached the evolution threshold. Begin evolution? Your Taijutsu Energy has reached the evolution threshold. Begin evolution?
As Fugaku asked, the system notifications in Mingyou's mind continued to ring without pause.
"Evolve."
Mingyou issued the command in his heart.
Evolution successful. Congratulations, you have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. Sharingan: LV4 (103/10000) Evolution successful. Congratulations, your Chakra has advanced to Kage-level. Chakra: LV4 (86/20000) Evolution successful. Congratulations, your Taijutsu has advanced to jōnin-level. Taijutsu: LV3 (306/10000)
Seeing Fugaku place his hopes on his worthless son, the Uchiha clan members were both puzzled and angered.
They knew perfectly well what Mingyou's strength was.
He had only just graduated from the Ninja Academy at thirteen, and he had graduated as a repeater.
"Clan Head, have you lost your mind? Mingyou may be your son, but we all know his strength very well."
"That's right, Clan Head. What exactly is there about Mingyou that you think so highly of?"
After waiting for a long time, quite a few clan members had already grown impatient and began shouting loudly.
"Mangekyō Sharingan!!"
Mingyou opened his eyes. As the tomoe spun without cease, his red irises formed the pattern of two Uchiha Clan crests.
Mingyou's sharp gaze swept across every clan member below. The authority and confidence he exuded made all of their hearts tremble.
"Mingyou awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
"Really? Am I seeing things?"
"There can be no mistake. That Uchiha Clan crest pattern is undoubtedly the Mangekyō Sharingan."
This time, no one voiced any further doubts.
There were not actually many people in the Uchiha Clan who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
In recent years, aside from Fugaku and Itachi, there had only been Shisui Uchiha.
Who would have thought that Mingyou had now awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan as well?
Within the Uchiha Clan, strength also represented absolute status.
From this moment onward, not a single clan member considered Mingyou to be trash anymore.
"Mingyou. I never thought you would truly succeed."
Fugaku's body trembled slightly with excitement. He held Mingyou by the shoulders, a mist of tears rising in his eyes.
Although he did not know whether Mingyou could bring the Uchiha Clan a better future, Fugaku believed that Mingyou was now the Uchiha's only hope.
At the same time, Itachi, who had searched the Uchiha Compound for a long time without finding anyone, suddenly appeared at the entrance to the Uchiha shrine.
"Father, have you gathered the clan members to rebel against Konoha tonight?"
Itachi drew the Ninja Tachi from his back. His pair of crimson Mangekyō Sharingan swept over every clan member present, ready to begin the slaughter at any moment.
"Itachi, you still made this choice in the end."
Fugaku looked at his son with helplessness filling his eyes.
He had personally sent Itachi into the Anbu, and that was what had led to the situation today.
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