Betrayal

Beneath the heavy, ink-black night, an abandoned watchtower on the edge of the Uchiha Compound crouched like a silent beast in the vast shadow cast by Kage Rock.

It had long since been swallowed by weeds and vines. Its wooden frame reeked of decay, and even the patrols couldn't be bothered to inspect this corner thoroughly.

It was fifteen minutes before two in the morning.

Uchiha Shaoyu and Shisui swept up to the tower's second floor like wisps of smoke.

The view was relatively open here. They could just make out the scattered lights of Konoha in the distance, yet the rock face and trees concealed them well. It made an excellent temporary rendezvous point. Dust blanketed the tower, and the air was still.

Shisui stayed close to his older brother, his little hand still gripping the hem of Shaoyu's clothes. By the dim moonlight filtering through a broken window, he studied their surroundings with curiosity and wariness.

He kept his breathing quiet, showing an impressive aptitude for stealth, but his slightly quickened heartbeat still betrayed his nerves.

Shaoyu gently patted his back, silently reassuring him.

As for Shisui, Shaoyu could only think, No wonder he'll become Body Flicker Shisui in the future. He's only six or seven now, yet he's already quite adept at the Body Flicker Technique, and his chakra reserves are already at Chunin level. A genius through and through.

The seconds ticked by. In the forest, there was only the whisper of the night wind through the pine needles, along with the occasional indistinct sounds of nighttime training or patrols in the distance.

Finally, a few minutes before the appointed time, the first figure appeared like a specter on a branch outside the tower. He landed lightly, then bounded into the tower in a few leaps.

It was Uchiha Renhuo.

He wore dark, close-fitting clothes and carried a bulging but neatly secured tactical backpack. His ninja pouch was stuffed, likely with plenty of supplies. His sharp eyes immediately found Shaoyu, and he gave a slight nod.

A second figure appeared, then a third... Two Uchiha Jonin arrived almost simultaneously: Uchiha Mihuo, his expression cold and a long blade strapped to his back, and Uchiha Chikage, composed, with Chakra Threads wrapped around his fingers.

They kept their presence subdued and moved with crisp efficiency.

As expected of Jonin from the Uchiha Clan—they were considerably stronger than Jonin of the same rank.

Next came seven Chunin.

Uchiha Rei, skilled in genjutsu and medical ninjutsu, had changed into a close-fitting purple combat outfit suited for movement and tied her long hair back neatly.

Uchiha Mei, a petite and nimble tracker and scout, had eyes that shone especially brightly in the darkness.

The other male Chunin took their places as well. Every one of them was well equipped, carrying only what they needed and nothing superfluous.

More than a dozen people gathered on the cramped, dilapidated second floor of the tower.

No one spoke. Only the soft rustle of people adjusting their breathing and equipment broke the silence. The air was charged with a mix of tension, resolve, and barely contained excitement.

Moonlight occasionally swept across their young or steely faces. Their Sharingan glimmered faintly in the dimness, like crimson stars lurking in the dark.

Shaoyu's gaze passed slowly over each of them. Good. No one was late or missing, and they were well prepared.

His gaze lingered briefly on Shisui. The little boy was doing his best to stand up straight, trying to look more dependable.

Shaoyu ruffled Shisui's hair.

"Everyone's here."

Shaoyu spoke in a low voice, but every person there heard him clearly.

"Check your gear one last time and confirm the signals. We're about to embark on a journey with no way back. Danger lies ahead: Konoha's pursuers, the obstacles along the way, and the unknowns waiting for us once we reach Kumogakure."

He paused. The Mangekyō Sharingan in his left eye turned faintly, its strange pattern seeming to absorb the moonlight, lending greater weight to his words.

"But remember, we aren't strays fleeing for our lives. We are warriors carrying the Uchiha's pride and future, choosing a new beginning of our own accord! Every step we take is for ourselves, for one another, for the clansmen who can't come with us, and so the name Uchiha will never again be trampled underfoot!"

Their breathing quickened, and the crimson in their eyes deepened.

The reason Uchiha Shaoyu had consulted with Uchiha Setsuna instead of fleeing with Shisui alone was simple: if the two of them went to Kumogakure by themselves, Shaoyu figured the ambitious Third Raikage would seize him and use him as a stud.

After all, if they had only one or two Uchiha, the best way to use them would be to breed them. Ten or twenty years later, Kumogakure would have a whole host of powerful shinobi with Kekkei Genkai.

For Kumogakure, male Kekkei Genkai users were much more useful than female ones.

After all, female Kekkei Genkai users could only give birth to one child a year, while male Kekkei Genkai users could keep fathering children.

But now that more than a dozen of them were going together, and with Uchiha Shaoyu's Kage Level strength, they would arrive in Kumogakure as a small ninja clan. Even the Third Raikage wouldn't underestimate them, and they would receive the respect they deserved.

"Now," Shaoyu said, taking the Secret Passage Scroll Elder Setsuna had given him from inside his clothes and slowly unfurling it.

It was a finely drawn map, marking several extremely well-hidden exits around the Uchiha Compound. Some even took advantage of weaknesses in Konoha's early defensive fortifications.

"Our first objective is to use the passages to slip out of Konoha's barrier without a sound and enter the border forests of the Land of Fire."

"Renhuo, take the lead and scout ahead. Tiehuo and Chikage, cover our rear and erase any traces we might leave. Rei, keep an eye on everyone's condition. Mei, watch our rear and flanks. The rest of you, stay alert, hold formation, and protect the core. Shisui," he said, turning to his younger brother.

"Stay close to me. Don't get more than ten paces away from me, no matter what."

"Yes, big brother!" Shisui nodded firmly.

"Yes, Shaoyu!" the others answered in hushed unison.

Shaoyu showed Renhuo and the others the key parts of the map, then carefully put it away.

"Memorize the route. Once we set out, stick to the plan, but adapt as needed. If anything unexpected happens, my orders take priority. Understood?"

Ninja had excellent memories. It took them only a short while to memorize the map.

"Understood!"

"Then..." Shaoyu took one last look at Konoha's faint outline in the distance. It was where they had lived for more than a decade, home to familiar training grounds and the rooftops of the Uchiha Compound, as well as countless stifled memories and a conflict about to erupt.

But he had come from another world, so he didn't feel much attachment. His gaze held not a trace of reluctance, only cold resolve.

"Move out."

The moment the order was given, thirteen figures shot from the abandoned watchtower like arrows long held at the ready. They made no earth-shaking noise—only the faint hiss of clothing cutting through the air and the soft scrape of their feet on landing.

They melted into the night and, keeping to their planned formation, sped toward the first hidden passage marked on the map, at the very edge of the Uchiha Compound, near the Forest of Death.