The Great Purge

Aburame Torune looked confused, seeming unable to understand Yamanaka Fu's reasoning.

He scratched his head and asked in bewilderment, "Hadn't we agreed to strike during the Hokage succession ceremony? Why choose tonight?"

Yamanaka Fu licked his lips. "Idiot. The security at the succession ceremony would be so tight that even ten Root Organizations wouldn't be enough to die there. If we really wait until tomorrow to act, we'll just be walking to our deaths. So why not strike tonight? Hmm?"

Yamanaka Fu looked at Aburame Torune expectantly. "You want to act tonight too, don't you?"

Aburame Torune was silent for a long while.

It was true. If they waited until daytime, the few people he still had under his command wouldn't be nearly enough.

"How many allies do we have?" Aburame Torune asked a Root Organization ninja beside him.

The ninja considered it for a moment, then replied, "Two Jonin and seven Chunin have clearly agreed to support us and help eliminate Uchiha Fugaku."

"That's enough." Aburame Torune took a deep breath. "As long as we move decisively and attack fast enough, the twenty-two of us should be enough to kill one—"

"Good." Yamanaka Fu stood up. "Then let's get going!"

Aburame Torune clenched his fists, his eyes burning with hatred for Konoha and a desire for revenge.

He and Yamanaka Fu had served as Shimura Danzō's guards, working tirelessly for him and rendering great service.

But now Shimura Danzō had been killed by the Uchiha Clan, something no member of the Root Organization could accept.

At last, the time for revenge had come!

It was two in the morning, deep in the night.

Only a handful of guards remained at the Uchiha Clan's compound, patrolling the main gate.

Judging by their tired, slack expressions, they had already let their guard down.

More than twenty shadows crept through the darkness not far away.

"Looks like they never imagined we'd go after Uchiha Fugaku tonight." A vicious grin spread across Aburame Torune's face.

"Yamanaka Fu, it seems I was right about you after all." Aburame Torune turned and patted Yamanaka Fu on the shoulder.

"Of course," Yamanaka Fu replied calmly.

They slipped past the guards and headed straight for the Uchiha compound.

They stopped in front of Uchiha Fugaku's house.

"Get ready to face the fury of our revenge!" Aburame Torune drew his Ninja Blade and slowly channeled chakra into it.

At the same time, several insects crawled up Aburame Torune's cheek, poised to strike.

As a member of the Aburame Clan, Aburame Torune had his own unique expertise in controlling insects.

The others drew their Ninja Blades as well and surrounded the house.

Thinking of Uchiha Fugaku soon dying in his sleep, they were all thrilled.

Many of them even let out smug chuckles.

Suddenly, a voice rang out among them.

"What are you grinning about?"

The words doused them like a bucket of ice water, chilling them to the bone.

They hurriedly looked up and saw a young man sitting on the eaves. No one knew when he had appeared. He rested his chin on his hand and watched them with an amused expression.

"You... You're Uchiha Yu! How did you know we were coming?" Aburame Torune's eyes widened.

Uchiha Yu said nothing. He merely clapped his hands.

Suddenly, the door to Uchiha Fugaku's house opened before them.

A little bird made of clay shot out and landed among the group.

Before the Root Organization remnants could react, the Clay Bird began glowing white and exploded with a bang!

A tremendous burst of fire shot into the sky. For a moment, it seemed the entire ground was shaking.

The Root Organization remnants were blown apart, tumbling to the ground in a scattered heap.

Aburame Torune hurriedly got to his feet and looked toward the others. What he saw made his blood run cold.

"You! Yamanaka Fu! You actually..." Aburame Torune tore off his sunglasses and stared at Yamanaka Fu, his pupils trembling uncontrollably.

Amid the dust and smoke, Yamanaka Fu slowly rose and ripped the mask from his face.

Beneath it was a face as pale as a snake's.

"Why didn't you warn me? You ruined the human-skin mask I worked so hard to make." Orochimaru sneered, then casually tossed the charred mask aside.

"The technique that melts a person's face and steals their appearance... the Face Copying Technique!" Aburame Torune's Ninja Blade shook violently. He seemed to understand what had happened.

But it was too late.

"When did you do it?" Aburame Torune gritted out.

Orochimaru rolled his neck and replied slowly, "Tonight, before our meeting. I happened to run into Yamanaka Fu."

Then Orochimaru looked up at Uchiha Yu. "I've done what I promised. I led them here. What happens next has nothing to do with me."

He stuck out his long tongue, licked his lips, and fixed his snake-like eyes on Uchiha Yu.

"Thanks, Orochimaru. We'll take it from here!" Uchiha Yu leaped down from the eaves and landed in front of Aburame Torune.

Aburame Torune snorted. The more than twenty Root Organization ninjas who remained also got to their feet.

The explosion had left them with injuries of varying severity, but they gripped their Ninja Blades again and stared at Uchiha Yu in unison.

At that moment, shadows flickered all around them.

Dozens of Uchiha ninjas stood atop the surrounding walls.

Several figures also emerged from the house.

They were Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Deidara, and Uchiha Fugaku!

Dressed in his ninja uniform, Uchiha Fugaku folded his arms and looked at Aburame Torune.

"It's thanks to my son, Uchiha Yu, and the help of one of the Sannin, Orochimaru, that we managed to draw you out!"

Then Uchiha Fugaku looked up at Orochimaru. "Mr. Orochimaru, whatever your reasons may be, I'm grateful to you."

Orochimaru smiled and gave a slight nod from the shadows.

"Damn it!" Aburame Torune looked furious with himself. "We walked right into your trap! No wonder Yamanaka Fu was acting so strangely today!"

After pounding his chest in frustration for a while, Aburame Torune finally pulled himself together and addressed the others before him. "Whatever happens, I'm going to make the Uchiha Clan bleed today!"

With a roar, the more than twenty men charged at them as one.

Looking at them, Uchiha Fugaku smiled faintly and patted Uchiha Yu on the shoulder. "Let's fight together!"

Uchiha Yu drew the Kusanagi Sword and grinned. "You can cover me!"

Then he turned to Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Deidara. "You three too! I'll lead the attack. Cover me!"

Uchiha Yu stepped forward with a heavy stomp and charged straight at the Root Organization remnants.