A ripple of distorted space flashed past the edge of the Uchiha Clan Compound.
Two ninja from the Anbu under the Hokage's direct command crouched in the shadow of a utility pole, holding their breath and focusing.
On Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders, they were responsible for monitoring the Uchiha shrine around the clock.
"Captain, I think there was a huge crash from the Uchiha shrine just now. There were powerful chakra fluctuations, too."
One of the Anbu lowered his voice, his fingers already reaching for the short sword on his back.
"Is it infighting? Or is Uchiha Fugaku really planning to make his move?"
The Anbu addressed as captain frowned, his gaze shifting behind his mask.
"Whatever it is, fire a signal flare back to the village immediately. Request reinforcements."
"Fluctuations on this scale are beyond what we can handle."
Before he could finish, however, a calm, icy voice sounded behind his ear.
"A signal flare? Are you inviting Lord Hokage over for tea?"
The two Anbu turned in horror, only to find no one behind them.
Yet that bone-chilling killing intent was unmistakably locked onto their throats.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
The Anbu leader swung his short sword backhanded, pouring chakra into it and sending out a sharp blade of wind.
The wind blade sliced through the air, but it passed through without resistance, as though cutting through an illusory reflection.
Uchiha Gen'yō's figure slowly emerged, as though he were growing out of the air itself.
"Konoha's Anbu haven't just gotten weaker. Have you lost your nerve, too?"
Gen'yō folded his arms, his Mangekyō Sharingan glowing an eerie purplish red in the darkness.
"Since you're here, don't leave. I happen to need a few errand runners. Take a message to Hiruzen Sarutobi."
The two Anbu trembled with fear. Having been selected as core members of the operation monitoring the Uchiha, they had naturally seen plenty.
But they had never heard of an ability like Gen'yō's, appearing and disappearing so unpredictably that even the Body Flicker Technique could not explain it.
"You're Uchiha Gen'yō? What are you trying to do?"
The captain fought down his fear, the kunai in his hand trembling slightly.
"What am I trying to do? Didn't you hear just now?"
Gen'yō took a step forward, and space seemed to shrink beneath his feet.
"We're defecting. In three days."
"I'm a straightforward person. I don't like sneaking around, so I thought I'd let you go back and deliver the news."
The Anbu Captain's eyes widened.
Defecting? How could he brazenly announce something like that right in front of the Anbu?
This wasn't arrogance anymore. It was naked contempt!
"Madman! The Uchiha really are all madmen!"
"Go! Take this intelligence back!"
The two Anbu instantly scattered and fled, moving so fast they left afterimages.
They knew they were no match for Gen'yō. Their only goal was to get the explosive news of the entire Uchiha clan's defection back to the Hokage's office.
"Trying to outrun me?"
Gen'yō gave a disdainful scoff.
His left eye abruptly focused.
"Kamui!"
In the distance, the space beneath one Anbu's feet suddenly warped as he leaped forward at high speed.
"Aah!"
A piercing scream tore through the sky.
Even as the Anbu ran, both his legs were forcibly drawn into a vortex.
His marble-like leg bones were instantly ground to dust by the power of space.
He hit the ground hard, nearly passing out from the pain.
The remaining Anbu Captain was scared out of his wits. He did not even dare look back at his teammate.
But just as he was about to vault over the Uchiha compound wall, a young man in a high-collared robe was already waiting there.
At some point, Gen'yō had teleported directly in front of him, one hand clamping precisely around his neck.
"What's the rush?"
Gen'yō tightened his fingers slightly, his nails digging deep into the man's skin.
"I told you to go back and deliver a message, not flee like a beaten dog."
The Anbu Captain struggled desperately, only to find that all the chakra in his body seemed to have been sealed off.
It was the Sage Body's chakra suppression!
"Tell Hiruzen Sarutobi not to send trash like this again."
"Within three days, have all the compensation the Uchiha have been owed over the years ready."
"If it's even a single coin short, I'll take the entire Uchiha clan and raze Root first."
With that, Gen'yō flung him toward central Konoha as though throwing away garbage.
The Anbu Captain rolled several times across the ground. Ignoring the pain, he scrambled away from the scene.
As for the Anbu who had lost both legs, Gen'yō sucked him into the Kamui Dimension with a casual glance.
"I'll keep one alive for now. Maybe I can trade him to Iwagakure for some supplies later."
Gen'yō dusted off his hands and muttered to himself.
He returned to the Uchiha shrine.
By then, the meeting was nearing its end.
The elders who had been so noisy were now each more obedient than the last, all bent over planning migration routes.
Seeing Gen'yō return, Fugaku asked quietly, "Taken care of?"
"Taken care of." Gen'yō plopped down in the seat of honor. "Those flies won't come within five hundred meters of this place again."
He looked at Shisui and Itachi.
"Do you two have anything to say?"
These two were the top fighting forces of the Uchiha's younger generation, and also the troublemakers most susceptible to being brainwashed by the Will of Fire.
Shisui remained silent for a long time before finally raising his head.
"Big Brother Gen'yō, I admit your plan is very tempting. But can Ōnoki really be trusted?"
"The grudges between Iwagakure and Konoha run too deep. What if they treat us as cannon fodder once we get there?"
Gen'yō gave a cold smile.
"Shisui, you're still too naive."
"There are no eternal enemies in this world, only eternal interests."
"Right now, Iwagakure urgently needs to strengthen itself to counter Kumogakure and Konoha."
"The Uchiha are the bargaining chip they've been dreaming of."
"Besides..."
A cold glint flashed through Gen'yō's eyes.
"I have Kamui. Whenever I want, I can take the entire clan away."
"If Ōnoki dares try anything, I'll tear down his Tsuchikage office and show him who's boss."
Had anyone else spoken such outrageously arrogant words, Shisui would have considered them madness.
But coming from Gen'yō, who had just taken down the Anbu in an instant, they carried an inexplicable persuasiveness.
"Since you've made your decision, Big Brother, I'm willing to follow you." Shisui bowed deeply.
Itachi, meanwhile, had been staring at his hands the entire time.
"Is the clan really more important than the village?"
Gen'yō stood, walked over to Itachi, and gave his shoulder a heavy pat.
"Itachi, remember this."
"People had homes before they had villages."
"If a village has to rely on slaughtering one's own clansmen even to keep its homeland safe..."
"Then that village would be better off destroyed."
Itachi trembled slightly, the mitsudomoe in his eyes spinning wildly.
Gen'yō turned and addressed everyone loudly.
"Meeting adjourned! Go home and get ready to have children and plant more trees!"
"In three days, we'll leave Konoha an empty shell!"
Just as everyone dispersed, an aged figure appeared at the window of the Hokage Building.
As Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to the Anbu Captain's report, the pipe in his hand fell straight to the floor.
"The Uchiha are defecting?"
"The entire clan? To join Iwagakure?"
From the shadows behind him, Shimura Danzō's voice sounded like a venomous snake.
"Hiruzen, I told you long ago. These beasts will never be loyal."
"Make your move. Tonight. We cannot let them leave Konoha!"
A trace of conflict flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, but far more prominent was a cold resolve.
If the Uchiha really joined Iwagakure, Konoha would truly be finished.
They absolutely could not be allowed to survive these three days!