Uchiha Itachi's appearance instantly changed the balance of power on the battlefield.
He stood between Ling and Obito, his bloodstained long sword angled toward the ground. The intricate, icy pattern of his Mangekyō Sharingan spun as he fixed his gaze on Obito. There was no fear or hesitation in his eyes—only the resolve to fulfill their agreement and, buried deep within them, an intense hatred for the "Masked Man" before him.
"Itachi," Obito said, his voice losing its usual teasing edge for the first time. It was low and serious. "Are you going to break our agreement?"
"Agreement?" Itachi's voice was so calm it was frightening, as though he were describing a situation that had nothing to do with him. "The agreement was to eliminate the Uchiha and maintain Konoha's stability. But your existence, and your actions here, are undermining that stability. This man"—he gestured toward Ling—"and the people he saved are part of my plan. They are necessary pieces in maintaining the 'balance.'"
He deftly folded Ling's actions into his own grand cause of "protecting Konoha," keeping his promise to Ling without completely burning his bridges with Obito.
Obito fell silent for a moment, his scarlet Sharingan sweeping between Itachi and Ling. He did not fully believe Itachi's explanation, but he could sense Itachi's resolve. Picking a fight with Itachi, who was still in peak condition, was unwise. His main purpose had been to observe Uchiha Ling.
"Hmph. An interesting explanation," Obito finally scoffed. "I hope you won't regret your choice, Itachi."
His body began to fade, slowly dissolving into the vortex of Kamui. "We'll meet again, Flying Thunder God brat. And you, Itachi—enjoy the path you've chosen."
With that, Obito vanished completely, and the suffocating pressure dissipated with him.
Ling let out a long breath. His taut nerves finally relaxed, and a wave of weakness washed over him. His brief face-off with Obito had consumed a great deal of his mental energy and chakra.
"He's gone." Itachi did not turn around. His voice remained cold. "As planned, Fugaku and the core elders have been eliminated. How is the evacuation of the noncombatants going?"
"It's proceeding in an orderly fashion." Ling forced himself to rally. "Haku and Kimimaro are guiding them, while Zabuza is clearing out the remaining resistance. Big Sister Izumi is safe."
Itachi gave an almost imperceptible nod. He looked toward the depths of the compound, in the direction of his parents' home. A flicker of unbearable pain crossed his eyes, but it was quickly swallowed by a deeper darkness.
"Go do what you need to do." Itachi's voice carried a hint of fatigue that was difficult to detect. "Leave this to me."
Ling understood what he meant. Itachi needed to face his final "mission" alone: to settle things with his parents and leave the deepest possible wound on Sasuke, who would soon return.
Ling said nothing more. He activated Flying Thunder God and disappeared. When he reappeared, he was on a secluded hillside outside the compound. This was the prearranged final rendezvous point.
Dozens of shaken Uchiha had already gathered on the hillside, mostly women, children, and a handful of noncombatants. They huddled together, their faces full of fear, grief, and confusion. Haku was busy using Ice Release to make makeshift barriers and provide water, while reassuring the others. Kimimaro and Zabuza stood guard around the perimeter, watching their surroundings carefully.
When Ling appeared, Haku immediately hurried over. "Lord Ling! Most of the noncombatants we could find are here. Miss Izumi is over there, too." He pointed to a corner of the crowd. Izumi sat on the ground with her knees drawn up, her gaze vacant. She had yet to recover from the tremendous shock.
"Good work, Haku." Ling nodded in approval, then his expression turned grave. "We don't have much time. Begin the final step at once."
He walked to the center of the gathering point and quickly formed Hand Seals. These seals were complex and ancient, accompanied by the distinctive chakra fluctuations of Sealing Jutsu.
"Sealing Technique: Camouflage Stealth Barrier!"
This was a large-scale barrier technique he had prepared in advance, combining knowledge from the system with the principles of the Uzumaki Clan's sealing techniques. As he poured in his chakra, a translucent dome of flowing runes rapidly expanded from him, enveloping all the people gathered there.
The moment the barrier was complete, the hillside changed subtly. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary, empty patch of forest. All traces of chakra, sound, and presence were perfectly concealed. This was the "hiding place" Ling had prepared for the survivors. They would shelter here for a time, then be secretly moved somewhere safer once the danger had passed.
When it was all done, Ling felt utterly drained. Repeatedly using Flying Thunder God, fighting at full intensity, and finally casting a large-scale barrier had nearly emptied him.
Just then—
"Brother!!!"
A child's anguished wail rang out from the direction of the Uchiha Clan Compound, shattering the silence of the night and striking the hearts of every survivor on the hillside.
It was Sasuke! He was back!
Ling turned his gaze toward the compound. He could imagine the hellish scene there, and how tormented Itachi must feel as he faced his younger brother alone.
"It's over," Ling murmured, his voice heavy with a hint of relief.
The night of the massacre had drawn to a close in a way that partly resembled the original history, yet was utterly different. The Uchiha's core had been eliminated, but Ling had silently preserved the seeds of hope under the name "Dawn Wind."
On the hillside, inside the barrier, the surviving Uchiha wept in silence. Below them, Konoha still slept, knowing little of what had happened that night.
Only the pale moon watched over the land soaked in blood and tears.
Before you continue