Izumi's Enlightenment

At this moment, looking at the young man before her, looking at the boy she once regarded as a younger brother.

The boy she had been prepared to protect with all her might.

Now, he possessed such formidable strength.

Not only had he led the majority of the Uchiha Clan to defect from the Hidden Leaf Village, but he had also started from scratch to establish a new ninja village.

He had built a new home for their clansmen.

How powerful he must be!

As for herself, ever since she became a genin, she had begun to stagnate.

In her work, she only performed simple tasks like helping the Daimyo's wife care for her pets or assisting officials of the Land of Fire with moving houses.

Slacking off all day, her strength improved at a snail's pace.

It was truly shameful!

"Natsume, I..."

"Does Izumi Uchiha think our clan shouldn't have defected from the Hidden Leaf Village?"

Natsume asked with a smile while happily devouring his meal.

His dear Izumi Uchiha had not had an easy life either.

Age 5: The Nine-Tails' Attack. Her father died before her eyes while protecting her, and she awakened the Sharingan.

Age 7: During a lunch break at school, she stood up for Itachi against upperclassmen who were bullying him, only to collapse and fall unconscious.

Age 11: Because Itachi explicitly stated that as a girl, she shouldn't be a ninja, they argued and parted on bad terms.

Age 12: After Shisui committed suicide, she braved the rain to find Itachi at the clan head's house. Itachi wasn't there, but Fugaku saw her and told her, "Itachi doesn't have many friends; I hope you won't give up on him." She agreed.

Age 13: During a clan gathering, Itachi was ostracized and hated by the clansmen, leading to a confrontation. She was caught in a dilemma...

In the end, the night of the massacre.

This sensitive, brave, stubborn, and gentle girl died at the hands of her lover, unable to close her eyes even in death.

Was this not a tragedy?

Now, although Natsume's actions had rewritten this tragedy.

Izumi Uchiha herself.

The dilemma of being caught between her lover and her clan remained unresolved.

After all, she had always been a staunch supporter of the Hidden Leaf.

Her father was a ninja from another clan, and her mother was an Uchiha. Having lost her loved ones in the chaos, she deeply understood the pain and accumulated resentment the people of the Hidden Leaf felt after the Nine-Tails' Attack.

She had decent talent, but she was not a brilliant genius like Shisui or Itachi. She had no say within the Uchiha Clan.

She supported the Hidden Leaf, yet she was small and powerless in the face of the surging rebellious sentiment of the entire clan;

She hoped Itachi could turn everything around and begged him to communicate with the clansmen again. But Itachi could not convince the enemy and had no choice but to take a more cruel path.

This was the helplessness of being caught in the cracks, the sorrow of the weak.

In this cruel ninja world.

Weakness is the original sin!

"At first, I also thought defecting was wrong!"

"But, in the few days since I arrived here. I have seen the clansmen burst with unprecedented enthusiasm, seen the children bloom with heartfelt smiles, and seen a scene full of vitality..."

"Perhaps, defecting from the Hidden Leaf Village was not a wrong choice after all..."

Compared to before.

The experiences of these past few days had made Izumi Uchiha much more mature.

And the thriving Flame Hidden Village had shaken the convictions she had held for so long.

Every bit of vitality here seemed to be evidence.

The Hidden Leaf was wrong! It was evil!

The Uchiha Clan should have defected long ago! They should have resisted long ago...

Natsume glanced at Izumi Uchiha.

Originally, he thought it would take a lot of effort to convince her.

He hadn't expected the changes in the village and the clansmen to have already convinced this young lady for him.

In that case.

The only thing Izumi Uchiha couldn't let go of now must be Itachi.

"So, Izumi Uchiha, are you worried about Itachi now?"

"Ah! Natsume, you, you knew all along?"

Izumi Uchiha started in surprise, her youthful cheeks flushing slightly.

Natsume curled his lip.

"Do I look like that much of a fool?"

"Besides, Itachi is practically my cousin! I can at least tell that much..."

"Then, then..."

Natsume waved his hand.

"Rest assured. Itachi and the Clan Head and the others won't be in any danger for the time being."

"It is precisely because our defection was successful and we pose a constant threat to Konoha that they dare not lay a hand on the remaining clansmen in the village."

"Furthermore, if not for this defection, I fear Itachi would have already raised his blade against the clan."

"Ah! How could that be? Itachi, he..."

"He never really had much of a choice. On one side, he was being threatened by Konoha's high-ranking officials, and on the other, he was being criticized by the radicals within the clan..."

"Be grateful! If we hadn't successfully escaped, he would already be a sinner with the blood of his kin on his hands."

Izumi was stunned.

Listening to Natsume's explosive revelations left her almost unable to think.

She had always known that Itachi, caught between Konoha and the clan, was in great pain!

But she never imagined that Konoha would force Itachi to make such a cruel and bloody decision.

If Itachi had truly taken that step, she feared she would have collapsed herself!

"Alright, Sister Izumi, don't overthink it."

"What you need to do now is take good care of Aunt Hazuki and build up our new village."

"And, strive to become stronger!"

"Only by being strong enough can we protect our family and our village when a crisis arrives!"

Natsume's words caused the confusion in Izumi's eyes to gradually clear.

That's right!

If she also possessed enough strength, if she could be as powerful as Natsume, she could handle any crisis with ease, right?

At the very least, she could become a pillar of support for the clan, for Itachi, and for Natsume and the others!

"I understand! Thank you, Natsume."

"By the way, I will also make targeted contact and arrangements for the clansmen left behind in Konoha."

"I will find a way to rescue them all..."

"Ah! Really?"

Izumi was overjoyed, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Of course."

"That's wonderful! Little brother Natsume, you're the best!"

Izumi happily leaned in toward Natsume and ruffled the hair of her younger brother.

Only then did she turn and leave with a joyful heart.

"I'm heading back then! Make sure you eat well!"

"Hey! Sister Izumi, I want to have teriyaki chicken tomorrow!"

"You got it!"

Watching Izumi leave so cheerfully, Natsume shook his head with a wry smile.

However, he hadn't lied to her.

When the time came for Konoha to force the remaining Uchiha clansmen to hunt them down, the Flame Hidden Village would naturally have to make contact with the Clan Head Fugaku, Itachi, and the others.

When that time arrived, he would certainly make good use of them.

After all, if he wanted to destroy Konoha and overturn the entire ninja world, relying on himself alone would not be enough!

Besides, with Itachi's talent, he would have shone just as brilliantly even without experiencing the night of the clan massacre.

"Well, I'll think about that later."

"Time to eat!"

"Aunt Hazuki's cooking is as good as ever!"

Uchiha Natsume continued to happily shovel down his dinner.

Soon.

Just as he finished eating, news arrived again.

Orochimaru had returned with Kabuto.

A few minutes later.

Uchiha Natsume had cleared away the dishes.

He sat cross-legged in his room.

Before him, Kabuto and Nonō were kneeling, waiting for their verdict.

Neither of them harbored any delusions of escape.

Although they did not know just how strong the youth before them truly was.

Or how he managed to control an entire ninja village.

Or even how he could make one of the ninja world's legendary Sannin, Orochimaru, work for him.

But there was no doubt in their minds that they were no match for him!

To flee would only mean certain death!

"I am Uchiha Natsume, young clan head of the Flame Hidden Village. Good evening, you two."

"Greetings, Lord Natsume!"

"Don't be so formal, look up when you speak."

"Well? Director Nonō, Kabuto... Orochimaru has already told you the specifics, hasn't he?"

"What are your thoughts now? Or rather, what is your take on Konoha's betrayal?"

"Speak freely. Here, your safety is guaranteed!"

Uchiha Natsume raised an eyebrow, asking with great interest.