The last rays of sunset vanished beyond the horizon. The deep purple night sky unfurled like an enormous curtain, slowly cloaking Konoha. There were no stars tonight, only a pale moon hanging high overhead, casting an ominous glow.
The Uchiha Clan Compound was sparsely lit, no different from any other night. Yet beneath that surface calm, tension and restlessness churned like subterranean fires. The radical faction's meeting had just ended at Naka Shrine, and the air still carried an aura of arrogance and resolve. Most ordinary clan members, meanwhile, were absorbed in their daily routines, completely unaware of the disaster about to unfold.
Uchiha Ling stood in the courtyard, giving his equipment one final check. Kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs, and the crucial Genjutsu: Haze Mirage Scroll tucked inside his robes. His gaze was calm and steady, as if he were about to embark on an ordinary mission rather than face a bloody storm.
Kimimaro stood silently behind him, like the most loyal of bodyguards. His pale face was expressionless, and only the concentrated, icy killing intent deep in his eyes gave him away.
"Let's go," Ling said softly without turning around.
The next moment, the Flying Thunder God Technique activated. Space warped, and the two vanished from the courtyard. When they reappeared, they were in a secluded patch of woodland on Konoha's outskirts. Haku and Zabuza were already waiting there.
"I thought you'd lost your nerve, kid." Zabuza grinned, baring his white teeth. Kubikiribōchō gleamed coldly in the moonlight.
Haku clenched both hands nervously, but his gaze was resolute. "Lord Ling, we're ready."
Ling nodded, his eyes sweeping over the three of them. "Remember your assigned duties. Stay in touch using simple signals. Once the operation begins, stick to the plan. If things get extreme, prioritize your own safety."
He said no more. Taking a deep breath, he channeled chakra into the scroll inside his robes.
"Release!"
The scroll turned into a streak of light and sank into the ground. Immediately, an invisible ripple spread rapidly outward, like waves on water, from the heart of the Uchiha Clan Compound!
Dense, impenetrable gray-white fog surged into existence and rolled outward, swallowing the streets, buildings, and shrine. Visibility plummeted to less than five meters! Countless twisted shadows seemed to flicker in the fog, accompanied by faint, unsettling whispers that assailed the mind.
Genjutsu: Haze Mirage took effect!
"Move!" Ling barked.
"Ice Style: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!" Haku formed hand seals with lightning speed. The moisture in the air instantly condensed, and countless smooth ice mirrors appeared out of nowhere in the fog, forming a complex, concealed network of passageways. The mirrors not only further distorted light and perception, but also gave Haku footholds from which to move swiftly and observe the battlefield.
"Hmph, our turn!" Zabuza snarled. His figure melted into the dense fog, darting like a specter toward the first target on the list: a jōnin from the radical faction.
Kimimaro shot off like an arrow, heading straight for the depths of the compound. His mission was to clear out several stronghold locations on the list, where the hardliners were entrenched.
Ling, meanwhile, used the Flying Thunder God Technique to appear instantly outside a secluded house on the edge of the Uchiha Clan Compound. This was Uchiha Izumi's home. According to the plan, he would ensure her safety first, then provide support where needed.
The moment he appeared, the house door creaked open. Uchiha Izumi stepped out. The thick fog outside and the faint sounds of commotion had apparently drawn her out, and unease showed on her face. When she saw Ling standing in the mist, she froze.
"Ling? What are you doing here? And this fog—"
Just then, something unexpected happened!
The air beside Ling twisted into a vortex without warning! A figure in a black robe and spiral mask silently emerged as if rising from water. One crimson Sharingan regarded Ling and Izumi with interest.
"Oh? Looks like tonight's script has taken an unexpected little turn." Uchiha Obito's voice was tinged with amusement. His gaze finally settled on Ling. "The little rat using the Flying Thunder God has finally found you."
A terrifying pressure descended in an instant! Obito didn't even deliberately release killing intent, yet the chill emanating from his Mangekyō Sharingan and years of battlefield experience left Uchiha Izumi frozen as if plunged into an icehouse. Her body stiffened, and even breathing became difficult.
Ling's heart clenched. Obito had shown up after all—and he had come straight for him!
"Lady Izumi, get back!" Ling barked. He immediately raised his chakra to its limit and activated his One-Tomoe Sharingan, fixing his gaze on Obito. He couldn't let Obito hurt Izumi here, much less let him interfere with the entire plan!
"So you're the one trying to disrupt tonight's plans." Obito tilted his head, his tone casual, but the chill in his Sharingan grew stronger. "Let's see what you can do."
Before the words had even left his mouth, Obito vanished like a specter. In the next instant, he was right in front of Ling, one hand reaching straight for his chest as if piercing the surface of water—Kamui!
Fast! Unbelievably fast! Faster than the eye could follow!
At the critical moment, Ling's Flying Thunder God Technique activated instinctively!
"Whoosh!"
Obito's hand passed through Ling's afterimage. Ling reappeared ten meters away, a bead of cold sweat on his forehead. If he had been even a tenth of a second slower, he might already have been sucked into the Kamui Dimension!
"Oh? Not bad reflexes." Obito slowly drew back his hand, still sounding casual, but his eyes held even more interest. "The Flying Thunder God is a troublesome technique. But how many times can you dodge?"
The battle escalated the instant the plan began, with the most dangerous opponent entering the fray!
Meanwhile, deep within the fog-shrouded Uchiha Clan Compound, shrill screams, clashing weapons, and the booms of ninjutsu began sounding here and there, then quickly grew more frequent. Uchiha Itachi had already begun his "cleansing."
Beneath the blood moon, the night of slaughter had begun!
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