The Uchiha Clan Massacre?
I'll die?
My brother and I will fight to the death?
Impossible!
There's no such thing as Future Sight!
It must all be genjutsu!
Fugaku immediately formed a hand seal to dispel the genjutsu on Itachi:
"Release!"
"Father, I'm certain this isn't genjutsu!"
"With my skill in genjutsu, and the Sharingan backing me up, I'm the one who puts others under genjutsu."
Of course, that didn't apply to Senior Zhou Cheng!
Fugaku looked at Shisui. Of the three, he was the strongest.
Fugaku wanted to know what Shisui thought.
"Clan Head, I can also confirm that this isn't genjutsu!"
With my Mangekyo, how could it possibly be genjutsu?
Fugaku narrowed his eyes, unable to make up his mind.
The elders still didn't believe it was true, and they looked displeased!
"Dad, what are you hesitating for?"
"Whether it's true or not, why not go see for yourself?"
Fugaku's eyes lit up. He'd been too close to the situation to see clearly!
He could find out whether it was true simply by going to see.
If it was true, then with Zhou Cheng on their side, the Uchiha Clan could confront the Hidden Leaf and make them back down!
Just then, someone suddenly burst through the door with a tremendous crash.
Everyone looked over in annoyance. It was Uchiha Tadashi.
He was covered in injuries, clearly having been beaten up!
The Great Elder's expression changed. Why had the boy suddenly barged in? And how had he gotten those injuries?
"You fool, don't you know the rules?"
"The Clan Head and I are discussing important matters. Whatever it is, wait until I get back!"
Uchiha Tadashi ignored him. With snot and tears streaming down his face, he crawled over to the Great Elder.
Then he whispered something into his ear!
The Great Elder's expression immediately turned cold.
It was all because of that Zhou Cheng!
"Clan Head, surely you don't need to trouble yourself with such a trivial matter!"
"You're busy with a thousand things already. You've worked hard enough!"
Then he gave the other elders a meaningful look.
The other elders immediately understood and all joined in to dissuade Fugaku.
Seeing this, Fugaku had no choice but to give up on going himself. He still had to show the elders some respect!
The meeting ended just like that, and Uchiha Tadashi's rudeness was let go without consequence!
As they left the meeting room, Shisui turned and said goodbye to Sasuke:
"To deal more damage tomorrow, I'm going back to train!"
"You two aren't allowed to slack off either!"
Sasuke and Itachi nodded and waved goodbye to Shisui.
Sasuke went back to his room as usual. Itachi stayed where he was instead of leaving at once, gazing thoughtfully in the direction Shisui had gone.
Shisui wasn't going to train. He was definitely going to see Lord Hokage.
That might be for the best. Perhaps Senior Zhou Cheng's appearance would make Lord Hokage delay taking action against the clan.
At the Great Elder's house, he sat in the seat of honor, with Uchiha Tadashi and a middle-aged man on either side.
The middle-aged man was Uchiha Tadashi's father, who also held a position within the Uchiha Clan.
"Tell me everything that happened, in detail!"
"Don't leave anything out!"
Uchiha Tadashi nodded and recounted what had happened to him.
"Father, Grandfather, he must be a fraud. How could a worthless Genin possibly give people rewards?"
"He must be working with Itachi and the others."
"They're all in on it, and made up this whole series of events!"
The Great Elder's face darkened. What a disappointment.
"You're so short-sighted. Is your head full of water?"
"Itachi and Sasuke are the Clan Head's sons, and Shisui is the strongest of the younger generation in the clan. Why would they work with a loser?"
"What could they possibly gain from it?"
"Don't judge things by appearances. You're nowhere near as perceptive as Itachi."
"With an attitude like that, forget about competing with him to be the clan's candidate for Clan Head!"
Uchiha Tadashi had no answer to his grandfather's scolding. He wasn't stupid, and once he'd calmed down and thought it over, he realized he'd jumped to conclusions.
"I never thought someone like that existed in our clan. Could we use him to strengthen our branch?"
The Great Elder looked pleased. The boy wasn't beyond saving after all!
"But I'll have to test whether it's true myself!"
"If it is, then you won't have taken that beating for nothing!"
Years as an elder had made him cautious. With something like this, he had to see it with his own eyes before he could believe it completely!
After enduring the harassment, Uchiha Izumi returned home, only to discover that they had a guest that evening.
The guest had golden hair tied into two ponytails and looked quite young.
She was sitting at the table with Izumi's mother, chatting.
"Mother, we have a guest!"
Uchiha Izumi entered the living room and got a proper look at the guest. She was startled to see that it was Lady Tsunade, one of the Sannin.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Uchiha Izumi's eyes widened in disbelief.
Her mother actually knew Lady Tsunade, one of the Sannin!
Why had her mother never mentioned it before?
"Hazuki, is this your daughter?"
"She's lovely!"
Uchiha Izumi's mother, Uchiha Hazuki, immediately replied modestly, though her eyes were full of delight.
How could a mother not be happy when someone praised her daughter?
"You're too kind, Lady Tsunade!"
Uchiha Hazuki looked at her daughter and smiled as she explained:
"When your father and I were young, we served under Lady Tsunade as medical ninja!"
"Ever since your father died in battle, Lady Tsunade has always looked after our family!"
Uchiha Izumi immediately bowed to Tsunade, thanking her for all the years of care:
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade!"
"I had no idea my parents knew one of the Sannin, Lady Tsunade. I'm truly honored!"
Tsunade laughed heartily, stood up, and patted Uchiha Izumi on the head. She was a pretty little thing!
"It's getting late. I won't keep you any longer!"
"I'm heading south tomorrow, and who knows when I'll be back again!"
Uchiha Hazuki looked a little sad. As she grew older, many of her friends had passed away. Every meeting could be the last.
Tsunade walked out of the living room and headed for the door, but then she heard Uchiha Izumi excitedly recounting what had happened that day.
"I met a good person today. He said there was nothing left for him to live for and that he wanted to die, so he asked people to attack him. Anyone who could hurt him would get a reward!"
"Itachi, Little Sasuke, and Shisui all tried it, and they really did get rewards!"
Tsunade stopped in her tracks. Was this that crazy guy?
He let people attack him, then gave them rewards afterward?
Was he out of his mind?
Wait, Itachi and Shisui had both tried it—and really gotten rewards!
Interesting!
I'm not leaving tomorrow. I'll go take a look!
Hmph. He wants to die? Let's see if he can withstand one punch from me!
In the Hidden Leaf, Shisui was giving his report in the Hokage's office.
"People can get rewards just by attacking him and causing damage?"
"Sasuke awakened his Sharingan, and Itachi's Fire Release Ninjutsu permanently grew more powerful!"
"And it all happened in an instant!"
"If this is true!"
"Then it's something only a god could do!"
"When did someone like this appear in the Hidden Leaf?"
"Are you sure he really belongs to the Uchiha Clan?"
Shisui nodded firmly.
"Someone even more terrifying than Madara has appeared in the Uchiha Clan!"
Danzo frowned, growing even more wary of the Uchiha.
"Danzo, go to the Arena tomorrow and take a look. Seeing is believing!"
"Find out whether this person is putting on an act, or whether he really is a senior to all the Konoha Ninja of today!"
Before you continue