Destruction or Rebirth?

Seeing that Danzo showed no remorse whatsoever, the Third Hokage roared, "Danzo, you are never to make a move against Naruto again. If there's a next time, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

With that, he turned and left. Danzo stood where he was, watching the Third Hokage's retreating back thoughtfully.

The two advisors following behind the Third Hokage gave Danzo a meaningful look, and Danzo indicated that he understood.

"Naruto..."

The Nine-Tails looked at the silent Naruto, hesitating to speak.

"I'm fine. I just feel a little upset..." Naruto raised her head, her eyes red as tears dripped down her cheeks.

"Nine-Tails, did I do something wrong? Did I commit some unforgivable crime for Konohagakure to treat me like this?" Naruto looked at the Nine-Tails with a fragile expression, her eyes full of confusion. No matter how badly Konohagakure treated her, she had only ever thought of leaving it, never of taking revenge on it. She had never shown any hostility toward Konohagakure, yet it hurt her again and again.

"Naruto... I don't know." The Nine-Tails looked at the crying Naruto with heartache, not knowing how to comfort her. Its tail wrapped around Naruto and gently placed her atop its head. Ever since it had been sealed away, it had never had much contact with humans. All it had known was hatred. The Jinchuriki hated it, resented it, and bound it.

And all it could do was resist without end, refusing to let those who used it wield its power without paying a price.

Naruto tightly gripped the Nine-Tails' fur and clenched her teeth.

"If the Third Hokage hadn't come, Nine-Tails, I would've had no choice but to use your power... I'm still too weak... I have to become stronger..."

"In this world, weakness is a sin!"

Even beneath its hot-blooded veneer, the world of Naruto could not change the fact that the strong preyed on the weak.

That night, Shisui Uchiha and Fugaku Uchiha argued fiercely over the future of the Uchiha Clan. Knowing he could not persuade the stubborn clan head to change his mind, Shisui Uchiha suddenly activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and used Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku Uchiha. Blood flowed from his left eye as Shisui Uchiha helplessly used Kotoamatsukami to alter Fugaku Uchiha's will.

As someone highly respected within the Uchiha Clan, if Fugaku Uchiha could plan a coup d'état, then he could naturally lead the Uchiha Clan away from Konohagakure and establish a new ninja village.

Behind the paper door, Itachi Uchiha had overheard his father's conversation with Shisui. In the courtyard, he watched Sasuke train diligently in taijutsu.

Would it really be so easy for the Uchiha Clan to leave Konohagakure? Sasuke is still so young. I can't let Sasuke face danger! If I tell the Third Hokage about this, can I stop it through negotiations?

"Brother! Brother!"

Sasuke Uchiha saw his older brother standing there in a daze as though something troubled him. Frowning, he walked over and tugged on his brother's clothes.

"Sasuke, what is it?"

Itachi Uchiha smiled and stroked Sasuke's hair, as though his earlier worries had been an illusion.

"Brother! Stop patting my head all the time! I won't grow taller!" Sasuke covered his head and pouted in dissatisfaction. To Itachi Uchiha, his angry little face was adorable.

"How could that be? Sasuke will definitely grow tall!"

Itachi Uchiha reached out and tapped Sasuke on the forehead.

Traitor Itachi had logged on.

Is It Destruction or Rebirth? (1/2)

Itachi Uchiha told the Third Hokage everything he knew. After discussing it with Itachi Uchiha, the Third Hokage prepared to negotiate with Fugaku Uchiha, the head of the Uchiha Clan, hoping to stop the Uchiha Clan from leaving Konohagakure. As one of the two clans that founded Konohagakure, the Third Hokage did not want the Uchiha Clan to leave. The Uchiha Clan was among Konohagakure's strongest fighting forces.

Especially since the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan had earned tremendous renown on the battlefields of the ninja world wars. With the Uchiha Clan in Konohagakure, other ninja villages would have to think twice before making a move against it.

However, the fact that the Uchiha Clan was becoming increasingly restless could not be ignored.

As Itachi Uchiha left the Hokage Office Building, Shisui Uchiha's voice sounded beside his ear.

"Itachi, I never expected you to do this. Are you really not thinking about the future of the Uchiha Clan at all?"

A pitch-black crow landed on Itachi Uchiha's shoulder. Its red eyes bore the Three Tomoe Sharingan.

Shisui Uchiha was speaking to Itachi Uchiha through that crow, and it was also through that crow that he had noticed Itachi Uchiha's abnormal behavior.

He had never imagined that the traitor within the Uchiha Clan would be Itachi! It was quite a blow to Shisui.

"What I'm doing is precisely for the Uchiha Clan's future."

The scenery around him twisted. In an instant, Itachi Uchiha found himself in a world of black and white, where Shisui Uchiha stood silently in the distance, watching him.

"The relationship between the Uchiha Clan and Konohagakure is worsening by the day. Do you really think negotiations can resolve this?" Shisui Uchiha questioned Itachi Uchiha.

"I believe in the Third Hokage," Itachi Uchiha said without the slightest hesitation.

The moment his words fell, a short blade pierced his chest. Then dozens of short blades rained down, stabbing through Itachi Uchiha's body.

This was a genjutsu world. Everything was under Shisui Uchiha's control. Even Itachi Uchiha found it difficult to break free from Shisui Uchiha's genjutsu, much less when he had only awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan. In terms of Sharingan ocular power, he could not contend with Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Itachi Uchiha, you're too naive! Too many people in the Uchiha Clan are dissatisfied with Konohagakure's neglect of the Uchiha Clan. This resentment has built up over so long that negotiations alone cannot resolve it."

"If you truly care about the Uchiha Clan, then stop doing things that harm it."

"Itachi, this is the last time I'll call you that. I hope you don't force me to kill you..."

As Shisui Uchiha's warning ended, the genjutsu dissipated and Itachi Uchiha returned to reality. The sound of a blade leaving its sheath rang in his ears. Before he even noticed, a strand of black hair fell to the ground. Body Flicker Shisui truly lived up to his reputation. His unfathomable Body Flicker Technique had been so fast that Itachi Uchiha had not reacted at all before a strand of his hair was cut off.

Watching the hair on the ground drift away in a gentle breeze, Itachi Uchiha stood frozen, drenched in cold sweat. Even the scorching sunlight could not warm his sweat-soaked body.

In the forest, Naruto leaned against a tree trunk, listening to the chirping birds as she lazily narrowed her eyes at the clouds overhead. Through subtle probing, Naruto had learned from Sasuke that the Uchiha Clan had been acting strangely lately.

Though it had only been a few brief remarks, they were enough for Naruto to analyze a great deal of information.

The time was drawing near. Would the Uchiha Clan be exterminated, or would it find rebirth?

What was Shisui Uchiha planning? There was a traitor within the clan—apparently Itachi Uchiha—and another outside it—apparently Obito Uchiha. And Danzo was watching them like a tiger eyeing its prey.

Scratch that "apparently." The two traitors Naruto had thought of were Itachi Uchiha and Obito Uchiha. Those two clan-extermination maniacs—if they were wiping out some other clan, like the Senju Clan, that would at least make sense. But what the hell was with the two of them exterminating their own Uchiha Clan?

Even if it was an order from Konohagakure's higher-ups, weren't they being a little too obedient?

Brother-obsessed Itachi!

The Uchiha Clan's eyes had practically become universally recognized treasures in the world of Naruto. Should I get a pair and replace my own?

But if this continued, the Uchiha Clan would very likely still walk the path of extermination from the original story... If only I knew the Shadow Clone Technique. Then I could assume another identity and contact Shisui Uchiha. Even if I were discovered, it wouldn't matter. The one discovered would be my disguised identity. Once I dismissed the clone, even if Konohagakure dug three feet into the ground, they would never find someone whose roots did not exist in this world.

Perhaps... I could ask Kakashi to teach me the Shadow Clone Technique. I just don't know whether Kakashi would be willing to teach me... Hmm, what a headache! Forget it! I'll go find Kakashi. Whether he teaches me or not, I have to give it a try!

But where would Kakashi be at a time like this?

An image surfaced in Naruto's mind of Kakashi holding Make-Out Paradise and reading it with total concentration. The corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.

Near that adult shop, Naruto transformed into a little mouse and easily slipped inside. She found Kakashi flipping through the newest volume of Make-Out Paradise. His eyes were wide, bloodshot with excitement, and the sight left Naruto dumbfounded.

Holy crap! Jiraiya, you've led him terribly astray!