Decapitation

Swish, swish, swish.

The bushes nearby rustled twice. Uchiha Katsumi and two Root members drew kunai from their waists; one of the Root members even reached into his ninja tool pouch, fingers probing deep inside.

Vaguely, the patterns of explosive tags could be seen. The three held their breath, eyes fixed on the bushes, until a large white rabbit twitched its nose and hopped out.

The trio let out a collective sigh of relief. After all, they were on Uchiha territory; even though all three were jonin, they knew the stakes.

If they were discovered, the chances of them escaping were slim to none, so they had to remain hyper-vigilant at every sign of movement.

If someone were to spot them, they had to eliminate the target immediately and then gouge out their eyes. It was said that a colleague had once gifted Danzo two Sharingan and become his favorite, sparing him from further life-or-death missions.

Thus, it was an unspoken rule among Root members: obtain a Sharingan, and you would earn Danzo's favor, allowing you to leave Root and reunite with your family.

If it weren't for the fact that Viper was currently an undercover agent within the Uchiha clan, and that tensions between the village and the Uchiha were at an all-time high, these two Anbu would have surely taken Viper's head and plucked out his eyes as well.

"Just a little rabbit, damn it." One of the Root kunoichi even pulled a carrot from her pack.

The little white rabbit didn't approach immediately upon seeing the carrot; it observed the three of them, and only after sensing no malice did it hop over to nibble on the vegetable.

Suddenly, the Root kunoichi holding the carrot beamed, picked up the rabbit, and began to pet it.

Viper and the other man smiled at the sight and were about to resume their conversation when the kunoichi's body shuddered.

She looked into the rabbit's eyes. They were red, but the pupils were in the shape of Uchiha Madara's Mangekyo. In just a second, the Root kunoichi lost control of her body.

Her consciousness was locked within her own frame, forced to watch helplessly as her body was puppeteered by another.

The kunoichi, still petting the rabbit, placed it on the ground. The rabbit hopped toward the woods and soon vanished without a trace.

She rose slowly. Because she was wearing a Root animal mask, the change in her expression went unnoticed by the others.

She walked silently to the side of the male Root ninja. The man chuckled, "Finished? Fox?"

"You're still the same as ever, loving these little animals. Viper has already told me the situation today; the Uchiha are about to revolt, it's urgent, so..." Before he could finish, a kunai plunged into his chest from behind.

The male Root ninja's pupils constricted. He turned his face to the side, catching a glimpse of Fox out of the corner of his eye.

"W-why?" he asked, his voice trembling. He couldn't understand it. He had always treated Fox well; they had been partners for three years, their coordination seamless.

Why would Fox kill him? Grief is greater than death. The male Root ninja endured the agonizing pain, pulled out the kunai, and turned to face Fox.

He found that Fox's eyes were brimming with tears beneath her mask. He reached out and removed it, only to see a blood-red pattern he had never seen before within her pupils.

He realized Fox was being controlled, but his heart had been pierced through; there was no chance of survival. He reached out one last time to stroke Fox's beautiful face.

"It seems this is my fate. You must live on." With those words, his pupils dilated, his life force faded, and he collapsed into Fox's arms.

Within the space of her consciousness, no matter how hard Fox struggled, she could not return to her body, forced to watch in silence as she killed her companion.

Viper was stunned. He looked at Fox in confusion, "Sister Fox, why did you kill Brother Gray Wolf?" He had seen the feelings Gray Wolf held for Fox.

How could such a loving couple end up killing each other?

Fox said nothing. Her beautiful cheeks were fully exposed to Viper's gaze now that Gray Wolf had removed her mask.

Fox tossed Gray Wolf's body aside and charged toward Uchiha Katsumi—one step, two steps—then accelerated.

Uchiha Katsumi was bewildered, but after witnessing Gray Wolf's fate, he wouldn't just sit and wait for death! He drew the katana issued by the Uchiha clan and slashed at Fox.

Clang!

Fox's kunai met Uchiha Katsumi's katana, sparks flying!

"Fox, have you lost your mind? Not only did you kill Brother Gray Wolf, but you're coming for me too! Don't forget, we are both Danzo's people!" Uchiha Katsumi frowned.

Fox ignored his explanation, weaving hand seals: Body Flicker Technique!

A gust of wind blew, and Fox appeared behind Viper. Seizing the moment, she thrust her kunai toward Uchiha Katsumi's heart!

Poof!

Smoke erupted, and the spot where Uchiha Katsumi had been standing was now occupied by a wooden log!

Substitution Technique!

"Die!" A look of madness flashed in Uchiha Katsumi's eyes. Though he didn't know why Fox had turned, he knew that if he didn't fight back, he would be the one to die.

He couldn't die, he absolutely couldn't! Uchiha Katsumi didn't hold back; the strike was heavy and powerful, but he had miscalculated one thing.

Fox's lips curled upward, an explosive tag held between her index and middle fingers! Uchiha Katsumi's face turned pale as he watched her channel chakra into the tag.

The black characters on the explosive tag began to glow red, and then, an explosion roared!

BOOM!

Fire soared into the sky, the flames engulfing Fox and Uchiha Katsumi, blooming in a brilliant display of light.

The sound alerted the Uchiha patrol, and three Uchiha jonin rushed toward the Naka Shrine.

On the scene:

Fox had been blown to pieces, her remains scattered across the ground, while half of Uchiha Katsumi's body had been obliterated, his internal organs exposed to the air.

He was dazed. Why had it come to this? Why? Why had Fox gone mad? Just as he lay on the verge of death, lamenting that his life would likely end here, Uchiha Izuna emerged from the woods.

He held a katana, the tip pointing toward the ground, and walked toward Uchiha Katsumi with a calm expression.

"How does it feel to be killed by your own companion?" Uchiha Izuna sneered.

Upon hearing this voice, Uchiha Katsumi turned his head toward Uchiha Izuna, and suddenly, he felt a sense of relief; so that was how it was.

He coughed twice and said, "I lost. However, I am curious, how did you know I was the traitor?"

"Ask the Sage of Six Paths after you die." Uchiha Izuna couldn't be bothered to entertain him; he gripped his katana with both hands and drove it into Uchiha Katsumi's throat.

Uchiha Katsumi let out a muffled groan, a trace of liberation in his eyes.

Uchiha Izuna's expression turned grim as he twisted the katana and slashed!

Swish!

Uchiha Katsumi was decapitated.